Ghana online payment platform gets over 4,000 users
MPower Payments, Ghana’s only online payment service that integrates all electronic payment systems and links them to both online and offline merchants in a secure environment has in months recorded over 4,000 active users, and is currently processing thousands of transactions to the tune of about GH¢120,000 every month.
The platform, touted as Ghana’s PayPal, also boasts of more than 400 corporate customers and merchants who meet the over 4,000 active users for brisk online business in the most secured environment under MPower’s green bar SSL certificate verified by DigiCert Inc. on the advice of Dun and Bradstreet, both US-based.
MPower was established by one of Ghana’s leading Wireless Application Service Providers, SMSGH to aggregate all cedi-based electronic payment systems in a way that enables users to make payments for goods and services online without exposing their details to cyber criminals.
“MPower is not a new payment system but a better payment experience that unifies all the payment platforms in the country and provides the highest level of security,” said, George F. Mensah, Senior Product Manager for MPower at SMSGH.
“MPower is a payment service that allows you to change the form in which your money is into what you want it to be so you can use it conveniently,” Mensah said.
He explained that the MPower payment service allows the user to electronically deposit money via a Speed Banking voucher, Visa card, Mastercard, Mobile Money (MTN, Tigo, Airtel) or direct bank deposit into their MPower account and use this balance to transact business online anytime, anywhere.
“Currently you can purchase airtime on MTN, Airtel, Vodafone and Expresso, pay your DSTV and ECG bills and pay for goods and service from a number of merchants such as yougora.com, ahonya.com, tisu.com.gh, dtechghana.com and many others who are currently registered on MPower. ” he said. “We are working hard looking for new merchants to integrate MPower. Very soon you can order food from your favourite restaurants or buy your event tickets and pay online anytime, anywhere”
George Mensah noted that MPower also enables direct transfer of moneys into the user’s bank account from the MPower service, adding that the user can also receive payment on MPower and then transfer the money into his or her bank account.
The MPower Product Manager said on MPower, moneys can also be moved from any of the three registered mobile money platforms (MTN, Tigo, Airtel) unto the MPower service then into the users’ bank account and vice-a-versa.
He also explained that users can make payments for goods and services by moving money from their bank accounts into their MPower account then forwarding it directly into the bank account of the one they need to pay.
“This cuts out all the travel time and costs, and the discomfort of traffic jams that people face in going to the bank to cash money to make payments for goods and services,” he said.
Mr. Mensah said some of the transactions on the MPower service such as buying mobile phone airtime, MYtxtBOX bulk SMS credits or transferring money into other MPower accounts do not attract any fees, but there are a few, which constitute a ‘cash out’ or a service involving other parties that attract ‘very negligible service fees.
He said the service fee depends on whether the merchant on the other side of the transaction charges a service fee for a particular transaction or not, adding that for payments to DSTV and ECG for instance, there is a GH¢2.50 service charge per transaction.
“But the convenience and comfort of, for instance being able to purchase airtime and paying your bills from the comfort of your home or office 24/7 is priceless as many of our customers testify in their reviews,” he said.
By Samuel Dowuona