Digicel plans rollout of mobile money services in Haiti

Digicel has announced details of the initial phase of its mobile money service project in Haiti which will deliver a range of mobile financial capabilities to the people of Haiti.

The project will give people the ability to send, receive and store money using their mobile phones.

Starting in October, the pilot is being conducted in partnership with a large NGO running a cash-for-work program and one of the major banks operating in Haiti.

It will see hundreds of users taking part in a six-week trial to test cash in, cash out, airtime top up and person-to-person transfer services.

Digicel and its banking partner have also been working closely with the Haitian central bank on the regulatory aspect of the project.

Maarten Boute, Digicel Haiti CEO, said: "Mobile money services offer a secure and convenient way of transferring and handling money. We have already seen their amazing impact in places like Kenya where according to a study by Edinburgh University, after just three years, 40% of the adult population now uses them and have seen their incomes rise between 5 and 30% as a result."