The Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (Zesco) and the Zambia National Commercial Bank have rolled out the first ever mobile payment system that enables people to purchase electricity units using the bank's Xapit mobile phone vending service.
In the past, customers had to travel long distances to Zesco offices to pay power bills and buy electricity units.
But with the new system, customers will be able to buy electricity units and pay bills using their mobile phones, for free.
The system, named Zesco Malaiti 24/7 (Zesco electricity 24/7), would provide bill payment solutions to more than 200 000 prepaid Zesco customers, and more 500 000 Zanaco customers.
Zesco MD Ernest Mupwaya says enhanced regulatory reporting, increased customer awareness and demand led Zesco to embark on a technology investment and expansion programme, which saw the implementation of eight business information systems.
Xapit is an innovative platform that allows customers to buy electricity units and mobile phone airtime and transfer money from one account to another using a mobile phone.
Zesco, a government-run power utility, owns and operates a network of fibre-optic cables around the country, and also leases capacity to banks and the Zambia Revenue Authority. Mupwaya says Zesco is actively deploying technology to enhance service delivery, increase accessibility and reduce the company's operating costs.
“Zesco expects to move into southern, eastern and central provinces with the aim of covering the entire customer base to migrate to the pre-payment metering for the mobile payment system,” Mupwaya says.
The cellphone vending platform, Mupwaya says, has added greater accessibility and convenience to the purchase of electricity units. According to Mupwaya, close to 1 000 Zanaco customers have already carried out about 1 300 transactions, with ZK73 million (about R108 000) crossing interface between Xapit and the Zesco extended vending gateway.
Zanaco MD Martyn Schouten says the company was focused on forming partnerships with organisations that shared the passion of serving the people of Zambia. Zanaco, Schouten adds, had the largest distribution network in the country, which covered 69 out of 72 districts, thereby empowering Zambians by according them an opportunity to be players in the economy. The Zesco bills were the most frequently paid bills in Zambia.
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