In a major development for African remittances, Sasai Money Transfer has teamed up with Airtel Money, the payments division of Airtel, to bring its groundbreaking Zero-Fee remittance service to Uganda. This initiative, which eliminates sending fees for users in the United Kingdom and South Africa, marks a significant expansion of Sasai’s innovative offering, which was first launched in Zimbabwe in partnership with Econet in May 2024.

The partnership with Airtel Money Uganda ensures that recipients can also withdraw their funds for free from their Airtel Money wallets. Sasai’s move to digitize and formalize remittances comes as informal channels continue to dominate the market, posing risks for African migrants who often face unscrupulous intermediaries.

This expansion is part of a broader strategy to roll out the Zero-Fee initiative across other key Airtel markets, including Ghana, Malawi, Nigeria, Kenya, and Zambia.

In related news, Ecobank Uganda Limited has announced a strategic partnership with Ria Money Transfer to enhance remittance services across Uganda. This partnership will allow customers to receive funds directly into their Ecobank accounts or collect cash transfers from any Ecobank branch or sub-agent.

Uganda’s remittance market is heating up, with MTN Mobile Money (MoMo) Uganda also making waves. Just last month, MoMo launched an International Remittances Campaign, offering over 100 lucky winners round-trip tickets aboard Uganda Airlines to encourage the use of its authorized partners for secure and convenient fund transfers.

These developments signal a promising future for remittance services in Uganda, as competition intensifies to offer safer, more affordable, and accessible options for sending money home.