MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Roshan of Afghanistan to Add Western Union Services to M-Paisa Mobile Money

Afghanistan-based telecommunications provider Roshan and US-based Western Union have announced plans to offer Western Union money transfers into mobile phone accounts in Afghanistan through the mobile financial services platform M-Paisa. This will allow Roshan customers to receive transfers from 200 countries. Roshan first introduced M-Paisa in 2008, which allows for 1.2 million registered customers to receive their salaries, pay bills, pay for airtime, and send and receive money –including microfinance loans and repayments –through their mobile phones [1].

By Natalie Baer, Research Associate

About Western Union: The Western Union Company, founded in 1851, is a US-based financial services and communications company. Western Union provides money transfer, communications and network services through approximately 430,000 agent locations in 200 countries. As of December 31, 2010, the Western Union Company reports total assets of USD 7.93 billion.

Sources and Additional Resources:

[1] Western Union and Roshan to Introduce International Mobile Money Transfer service in Afghanistan http://www.roshan.af/Roshan/Media_Relations/News/News_Details/12-02-27/Western_Union_and_Roshan_to_Introduce_International_Mobile_Money_Transfer_service_in_Afghanistan.aspx

MicroCapital story, May 6, 2011, “MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Central Bank of Afghanistan Issues Electronic Money Institution License to M-Paisa” https://www.microcapital.org/microcapital-brief-central-bank-of-afghanistan-issues-electronic-money-institution-license-to-m-paisa/

MicroCapital Universe Profile: Western Union
https://www.microcapital.org/microfinanceuniverse/tiki-index.php?page=Western+Union

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