Tigo Tanzania Achieves GSMA Global Mobile Money Certification

PRESS RELEASE -- DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania -- Tigo Tanzania’s (www.Tigo.co.tz) mobile financial services business, Tigo Pesa (www.Tigo.co.tz/tigo-pesa), has received the GSMA Mobile Money Certification, recognizing Tigo’s ability to deliver safe, transparent, reliable and more resilient services that promote consumer rights and prevent malicious transactions. Tigo Pesa is amongst the first mobile financial services providers around the globe to be certified by the GSMA.

The GSMA Mobile Money Certification is a global initiative to bring safer, more transparent, and more resilient financial services to millions of mobile money users around the world. The GSMA Mobile Money Certification represents a strong proactive move on behalf of the mobile money industry, demonstrating its commitment to Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT), and to delivering quality, safe and fair services to customers and partners.

With over 690 million registered accounts globally, the mobile industry is making the world a better place, and mobile money has given millions of previously unbanked people access to financial services.

Speaking during a press briefing in Dar es Salaam today, Tigo’s Chief Officer of Mobile Financial Services, Hussein Sayed said: “Tigo Pesa is proud of its contribution in driving the financial inclusion agenda in Tanzania by giving millions of previously unbanked people access to financial services. This certification is evidence that we have taken a step further to ensure that customers’ funds are in safe hands, and that their rights are being observed through our business practices and that a high level of customer service can be expected”.

In order to achieve the certification, each mobile financial services provider is measured against global industry best practice, and a pass mark of 100% is required. Certified providers are those that have proven that their business practices are amongst the best in the industry and that they are trustworthy and responsible financial institutions at par with the rest of the financial ecosystem.

“Tigo Pesa is proud to meet the requisite criteria to receive the GSMA Mobile Money Certification. This not only demonstrates the quality and reliability of our services but ascertains that we are at the cusp of the digital financial revolution that is sweeping the globe,” Hussein added.

In addition to Tigo’s utmost commitment to ensuring that we provide world-class services to our customers, our Tigo Pesa business is delivering the most innovative mobile financial services to our customers. We have always been at the forefront in introducing relevant innovations to the market including: the first operator to create the world’s first interoperable mobile money market, the first East African cross-border mobile money transfer with currency conversion and the first telecoms company worldwide to share profit generated from our Mobile Money Trust Accounts in the form of a quarterly distribution to our customers.

“Certification is a sign that our business practices are among the best in the industry, that we are a trustworthy and responsible mobile financial service institution, and therefore an attractive candidate for collaboration with potential business partners including but not limited to banks,” Tigo’s Chief Officer of Mobile Financial Services added.

ENDS