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Business Reporter
LEADING digital money transfer service, WorldRemit has partnered Lebara mobile, which offers mobile phone services via shops in six European countries, to allow more than three million Lebara money users to use its digital money transfer service.

The deal signed recently makes WorldRemit, Lebara’s exclusive money transfer partner. The deal is expected to support plans by WorldRemit, which has more than half a million transfers going to Africa, to serve five million customers connected to the continent by 2020.

This is also expected to provide a more convenient and lower cost alternative to the 90 percent of migrants who still send money through offline routes in more than 140 countries.

WorldRemit chief executive officer, Mr Ismail Ahmed, said Lebra’s visibility and brand awareness will help strengthen its positioning on the market.

“We are delighted to be partnering with one of the world’s premier MVNO brands targeting international residents in Europe, giving its users access to our mobile-first service. With more than 260 000 points of sale, Labara’s visibility and brand awareness complements WorldRemit’s strong digital capability,” he said.

“This partnership will introduce our safe, fast and low-cost remittance service to millions of new customers. We look forward to strengthening our leading position in the market with equally ambitious partnerships in the future.”

Most Zimbabweans in the diaspora use mobile money services to make remittances back home. Lebara Group CEO Mr Graeme Oxby, weighed in saying the partnership will benefit its customers who intend to remit their money back home.

“This initiative is in response to a growing need of our valued customer base. Many of Lebara’s customers send money home to relatives and friends and we are delighted to be able to partner with WorldRemit to offer a simple to use and highly cost effective service,” he said.