Lesotho’s telecommunication giant Vodacom Lesotho marks 4 years since the launch of M-Pesa. M-Pesa is an innovative way that has transformed the mobile phone into a secure digital wallet through which customers can pay bills, buy airtime, deposit & transfer money, receive international money transfers without the need of having a bank account or a modern handset and at the most affordable rates.

M-Pesa is not just a financial service but it’s a financial service that transforms lives through its simplicity, convenience, affordability and security. Its success has extended financial inclusion, economic empowerment and facilitated the creation of hundreds of small businesses.

M-Pesa was introduced on the 5th July 2013, with basic services such as sending money and buying airtime. This was followed by the introduction of bill payments in 2014.The cross border transfer was then introduced in 2015, affording M-Pesa customers an opportunity to receive money through International Money Transfer (IMT) by transacting through Mukuru in South Africa.In 2015 M-Pesa yet again introduced another facility, Airtime to M-Pesa, a world’s first innovative service which allows Vodacom subscribers to convert airtime to M-Pesa funds.

The service has empowered hundreds of Basotho to start businesses and gain financial security.The number of agents keeps growing year after year. In 2014, M-Pesa had only 703 agents and the number has increased from 1,000 in 2015 to more than 1,900 at the end of March 2016, with many agents creating entire businesses out of M-PESA.