Econet partners Western Union to increase EcoCash reach

Money remittance company Western Union has followed in the footsteps of MoneyGram and partnered with EcoCash for diaspora remittances into Zimbabwe.

Econet today announced its partnership with the Western Union which will offer consumers fast and reliable international money transfers into the country.
 
Consumers in Zimbabwe that use the EcoCash mobile money service now have the option of receiving a Western Union Money Transfer transaction on their mobile phones. 

Consumers can receive funds from money transfer transactions initiated at www.westernunion.com transactional websites in 23 countries, or Western Union Agent locations around the world.

EcoCash customers in Zimbabwe can use their mobile phones to direct funds they are about to receive to their personal account with EcoCash mobile wallet.

EcoCash has more than 3 million registered users in Zimbabwe. It competes against rival operator Telecel Zimbabwe's Telecash mobile money platform in the southern African country.

The new partnership between EcoCash and Western Union will enable expat Zimbabweans sending money back home from the diaspora to send money to their friends and relatives back home through their EcoCash mobile money wallets.

Jammy Shindi, an executive for Econet Services International said the partnership was aimed at enhancing convenience for people intending to send money back home.

Natalie Japanese Morris,  the business and marketing development head for EcoCash explained that people intending to send money from abroad visit Western Union outlets and send the money,  additionally punching in the Econet mobile number of the recipient in Zimbabwe.

"It is purely an in wallet digital wallet for delivery and pick money transfer service.

"Senders in diaspora send money from diaspora and enter the recipient Econet number and the money is directly credited into the EcoCash wallet," she said.