The emergence of mobile transaction and payment services in Africa has given way to
major economic opportunities and is proving to be an ideal solution to the vast
geographical challenges on the continent. AfricaCome, a communications conference
and exhibition which takes place from 11 to 13 November at the Cape Town
International Convention Centre (CTICC), will host a Mobile Money event for
discussions and debates around this sector.
mCommerce encompasses the full spectrum of mobile payments, including mobile
retail and mobile banking. Because companies operating in this sector are not
considered as banks, which carry heavy infrastructure costs and overheads, they
have been able to keep transactions costs reasonable and are able to adapt quicker to
market conditions. With Africa still the world’s fastest growing mobile phone market,
it is no wonder that traditional banks across the continent are quickly developing their
own mobile money solutions.
With innovative technology developers like TrustPay leading the way in settlement
and remittance by integrating a multitude of traditional and non-traditional payment
methods, both operators and banks are now in a position to take advantage of the
growth in mobile marketing across the continent. Mobile marketing is not restricted
to smartphone users and as a result, feature phone owners who are already used to
mobile payment solutions for purchasing airtime and transferring money are now fully
engaged in researching, buying and selling goods via their mobiles.
However, because the industry is evolving so rapidly, there are a number of
developments that need to be addressed, regulated and taken account of. Now that
the mCommerce and eCommerce sectors are reaching critical mass, it is going to be
vital for all stakeholders and consumers to engage with one another so that all
entities benefit and the sector continues to be sustainable
Topics at Mobile Money 2014 will include:
• Assessing the m-money market drivers and barriers in Africa
• Examining the various business models for mobile payments and mobile
banking
• Understanding the mobile money ecosystem and the role of the various
stakeholders
• How mobile money services fit within mobile operators’ strategies
• Regulating the m-money market: challenges and developments
• Technology developments and standardisation to deliver mobile money
services
• New developments in the mobile money transfer and international remittance
market
• Opportunities in contactless payments and NFC
Visit the AfricaCom website to
register for this event.
