Fijians in the Cook Islands can now send money home through their E-Moni mobile wallet in Cook Islands to M-PAiSA.
This is the latest offering from Vodafone Fiji in partnership with mHITs Ltd and the UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), enabling direct mobile to mobile money transfer between the two countries.
“The service makes it very easy for over 3000 Fijians who are working in the Cook Islands mostly in the Tourism sector, to be able to send money to their loved ones back home in Fiji,” head of Vodafone Fiji’s eCommerce and Digital Financial Services Shailendra Prasad said in a statement.
“Vodafone Cook Islands which is part of the ATH Group is the E-Moni platform provider in Cooks. Hence, it has been possible for the two entities to be able to collaborate to make this service available for both our customers”.
Last year, Vodafone enabled cross-border remittance between Vanuatu and Fiji and vice-versa by integrating M-VATU and M-PAiSA mobile money platforms.
Cooks Islands is now the latest market to become part of Fiji’s International Money Transfer (IMT) service and for Vodafone is another new market in its effort to interconnect regional markets for cross border remittances.
“Vodafone Fiji is pleased to add Cook Islands to the growing list of countries from where remittances can be received directly into M-PAiSA,” Mr Prasad said.
“M-PAiSA currently brings into Fiji around $48m every month in personal remittances. The addition of the Cook Islands will further boost IMT inwards.”
UNCDF’s Inclusive Digital Economies Technical Expert, Ali Akram said the project will pave the way for the broadening of the product offering in other Pacific Island Countries.
