Uganda: Petrol stations accept Zain Zap payments from mobilephones

[ratio magazine] Mobile provider Zain Uganda has agreed with top fuel companies that their customers can pay for purchases with the Zap service. Zap is Zain’s new mobile commerce solution that enables Zain subscribers to use their phones to transfer money, pay their bills, top up airtime and buy goods and services without physically using cash.

In this new partnership, Zain subscribers can now pay for services at all Shell, Total and Mogas filling stations across the country using Zap money. “They will be able to buy fuel, purchase goods in the station shops and even get service at the appropriate station bays all over Uganda using their Zap money. There is now no need for people to travel carrying large sums of money. All they need is their mobile phones,” said Angela Kenyonza, Zain’s M-Commerce Manager.

Zain’s Zap service provides customers with increased security and flexibility, reducing the need to carry cash and ensuring payments between friends, family and business partners remain secure. A password is needed for each transaction and the service is protected through a state-of-the-art security application. This means added security for fuel stations which face the ever-present threat of armed robbery.

Customers also benefit from being able to access the service 24 hours a day, seven days a week through their handset menu and enjoy the convenience of having access to cash anytime, anywhere. The service was launched in Uganda at the beginning of last week and has been well received by the public. “Just one week after launch, we have nearly 1,000 agents in place across the country. This is a clear sign that ZAP has been received very positively and this partnership with Shell, Total and Mogas means companies of substance see ZAP as a service that brings value to, not only them, but to all other traders and ordinary Ugandans,” she added.

Currently, there are over 1.2m Zain customers who have received the ZAP menu on their phones. To be able to use the service, they need to register their details at a registered ZAP agent, Zain outlets across the country and at the Zain headquarters in Kampala. To register, one only needs their valid ID and a photocopy of the same. Zain will then provide the customer with a virtual bank account, which will allow them to use their mobile phone in much the same way as a debit card and manage their money through their handset.

"With ZAP, we are saying there is no need for you to carry large sums of money. All you need is your mobile phone. With this move, Zain is pushing the boundaries of mobile communications and offering you more from your handset. This is the Wonderful World we are constantly referring to," says Yesse Oenga, Zain Uganda’s Managing Director.

Already operational in Kenya and Tanzania, ZAP offers the most comprehensive and accessible packages of mobile banking features currently available on the African continent. Coupled with Zain’s award winning One Network cross-border service, Zain's mobile banking platform will be the world's biggest cross-border m-commerce service. With ZAP, Zain customers will soon be able to make cross-border payments and transfers between Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda with no extra charge. One Network allows travelling customers to move across geographic borders without roaming surcharges.

Uganda: Press Releases: Fuel Stations Accept Zain ZAP Payments