Mobile money agents increase
ZIMBABWE’S three mobile network operators have grown their agents network to a total of 35 639 in the second quarter of 2016.
In the previous quarter, the agents network stood at 33 497.
According to a sector performance report for the quarter to June, the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) said Econet registered the highest number of agents at 25 145.
The mobile operator added 1 123 during the period under review.
“Growth in the number of mobile money agents implies improvement in access to mobile money services by the populace,” said the regulatory authority.
During the period under review, NetOne had 3 034 agents compared to 2 384 in the previous quarter.
In the second quarter, Telecel increased its agents to 7 460 compared to 7 091.
Following the current cash shortage in the economy, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor Dr John Mangudya has encouraged the transacting public to make use of electronic payments systems including mobile money transfer platforms. “The value of cash-in transactions in the quarter under review increased by 2.4 percent to record $460.2 million from $449.9 million recorded in the previous quarter. “Cash-Out transactions also increased by 9.9 percent to record $447.7 million from $407.3 milliom recorded in the previous quarter,” said Potraz. Mobile sector revenues declined 3,7 percent to $161,5 million in the second quarter driven by the continued decline in voice traffic. During the period under review, Econet and Telecel registered declines in revenue market share while NetOne recorded an increase of 4,7 percent. In this light, NetOne, which is Stateowned, made up 18,7 percent of the revenue market share at $29,87 million from 17 percent of the first quarter’s $167,7 million. Econet dropped its share 70,7 percent ($114,18 million) from 72 percent while Telecel dropped to 10,8 percent from 11 percent in the first quarter. The total number of mobile subscriptions in the country during the period under review increased by 6,2 percent to reach 20 257 180 from 18 992 082 recorded in the previous quarter. The number of active lines in the quarter under review was 13 010 873 compared to 12 900 173 recorded in the first quarter.