By Modupe Gbadeyanka
An initiative called Send, which is aimed to increase remittance flow and uptake to Africa has been introduced by the continent’s leading payments technology company, Flutterwave.
The fintech firm also announced the appointment of Grammy Award-winning international artist, Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun, popularly known as Wizkid, as its global brand ambassador.
A statement issued by the organisation said the Nigerian singer will use his influence to promote Send, which it described as a remittance solution.
By partnering with Wizkid, Send aims to reach the global African diaspora to increase awareness of the affordable and seamless remittance service available to them through Flutterwave’s infrastructure.
This is because Send by Flutterwave aims to offer customers the easiest way to send money to all parts of Africa from within the continent and the globe as well as provide Africans easy access to funding overseas bank accounts.
In 2020, about $40 billion was remitted across formal channels to various countries in the Sub-Saharan Africa region with Nigeria taking a significant share of total remittances.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) reports that remittances sent to SSA through informal channels, at 45–65 per cent of formal flows, are significantly higher than in other regions.
“I’m excited to work with Flutterwave in bringing more Africans into the digital economy through Send. We’re building amazing technology in Africa and we’re so proud of the work every technology company is doing to positively shape our continent for future growth.
“My team and I Send a lot of money across borders every day. Using a solution developed by Africans for our daily payments needs is a thing of pride and efficiency. So, when Flutterwave reached out, it was easy to say yes.
“For someone like me that’s always on the go, Send offers me the opportunity to keep in touch with my responsibilities across all parts of Africa. It doesn’t matter if I am in the UK and want to make payment in South Africa, Ghana, Kenya or Nigeria—all I need to do is Send it,” Wizkid said.
Commenting on the partnership, the founder and CEO of Flutterwave, Mr Olugbenga Agboola, stated that, “Wizkid’s story is that of hard work, resilience and excellence.
“The way he constantly represents Africa in the global entertainment stage is something we love. As a leading technology company out of Africa, our values align and we’re excited to have him join us to drive adoption for Send.
“Flutterwave and Wizkid share a common belief of showcasing the best of Africa to the world. Send by Flutterwave is the best remittance solution out there by coverage, cost of transactions and speed.
“Send represents our over five years of learning, relationship-building, research, and development in cross-border payments. It is also a truly African solution made in Africa by Africans and for the world.”
“We want to create opportunities for Africans everywhere through Send. We hold our vision of creating endless possibilities in Africa close to our heart and we’re excited to work with Wizkid to drive these goals,” he added.
Adedapo Adesanya