MTN has announced a collaboration with Africa’s leading independent banking group, Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI), to leverage each other’s assets and offer more value to their respective customers across the continent.
Under the memorandum of understanding, MTN’s large subscriber base, comprehensive distribution, innovative digital products and drive for mobile financial services are now linked with Ecobank’s trail blazing digital banking products to provide instant bank accounts and remittances through Africa’s largest bank by network.
The two entities, with an extensive footprint on the continent, are by the new MoU, committed to innovate and enhance access to affordable financial services via MTN Mobile Money and Ecobank Banking services.
The services would include transfer of money between MTN mobile money wallets and Ecobank bank accounts, leveraging of Ecobank and MTN’s assets to digitize international remittance, foster product innovation in the field of mobile saving and lending, and offer digital payment solutions to consumers, merchants and corporates.
Group CEO of Ecobank, Ade Ayeyemi said: “The changing landscape of digital banking and mobile telephony is creating unique opportunities in the way and manner customers are served. Africa will need to digitise financial services to rapidly scale up client acquisition and patronage. MTN and Ecobank are taking the big step today at this grand event to support this agenda”
He stated that “Ecobank’s digital strategy has long been committed to ensuring transaction convenience for the market. We have made giant strides in our mission to ensure financial inclusion and today’s agreement with MTN will greatly accelerate the easy availability of banking services to the previously unbanked.”
Commenting on the collaboration, MTN Group President and CEO, Rob Shuter said: “Partnerships between banks and mobile money operators are fundamental in the mobile money ecosystem, hence our long-standing partnership with Ecobank in many of our markets aimed at driving financial inclusion. We are excited to be taking this partnership to the next level as this latest development will spearhead innovative initiatives which will deepen financial access on the continent.”
