Electronic payment platforms are now a must for businesses that cannot have service centers everywhere they operate. Pebuu Uganda, a Kampala-based startup that handles secure financial transactions, is moving into electronic payment sector with its online and mobile payment system. Pebuu is aiming to expand its reach into the electronic payments market with the pebuu brand to make it easier for customers to transact, make payments and purchases with less hustles.
Pebuu Uganda has partnered with Thousands of Seasons a Japanese firm to push electronic payments throughout Africa with a target of having East and Central Africa covered by September 2017. The brand which is says is investing over one million dollars in the next couple of months will launch with 1,000 agents countrywide but with emphasis on the rural setting that aren’t easily serviced by most businesses.
With the digital migration campaign underway by the communications regulator the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), Pebuu plans on tapping into that market which will see over 70% of Ugandans paying for television services through monthly subscriptions necessitating the need for platforms like Pebuu to give the service to reach all. Pebuu also plans on providing unique options for customer satisfaction with fast, reliable and hassle free payments.
Cash payments in Uganda still account for a large portion of the number of transactions in the economy. The company told this blog, that they will level off and stabilize with the increased use of electronic means of payment. They said ;
“Electronic payments can be one of the strategic tools to grow brands and achieve higher economic growth in Uganda. Electronic payments also increase operational efficiency and improve productivity levels through expedient payments and receipts of funds. Brands like Pebuu will help provide the speed and convenience of making payments from any place or time”
With favorable market conditions, various mobile banking and electronic payment initiatives have been launched in recent years. This however, has yet to achieve widespread acceptance. To date, there are just thousands of subscribers for mobile banking and payment services. There is, therefore, a significant untapped and potentially lucrative market for electronic payments platforms which businesses like Pebuu want to tap into. Pebuu is currently in Uganda with a vision of being the number one electronic payments and deposit service provider in Africa by 2018 expanding to countries like Kenya, Congo, Tanzania, Rwanda and Sudan as show below.
