|
Kenya: Press Releases: KPLC Prepay Customers to Purchase Electricity through Zap |
|
|
|
Monday, 26 April 2010 |
Nairobi, 26 April 2010 --- Customers using the Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) new pre-pay meters can now purchase power through Zap. This follows the successful piloting of the service through Zain Kenya’s mobile commerce platform. The new service will complement the existing post pay arrangement which enables customers to pay their electricity bills using the Zap mobile commerce platform. “Customers will be able to purchase power by sending from their Zap account the requisite sum of money to a nickname My Power. Zap will then confirm the transaction after which KPLC will provide the customer, through SMS, a 20-digit number which represents the token to be keyed in the pre-paid meter,” said Rene Meza, Managing Director, Zain Kenya. KPLC has already installed pre-pay meters in several estates in Nairobi including Imara Daima, Nyayo Embakasi Phase 2, parts of Fedha, South B Golden Gate, Woodley, parts of Nyayo Highrise, Kasarani Sports View and Kahawa Sukari Estates have been put on the programme. Mr. Meza added that customers purchasing electricity through Zap will not be charged for the transaction. “We shall continue expanding the offerings on the Zap menu so that Kenyans can enjoy the convenience of mobile commerce. By not charging for utility transactions, we are seeing to it that Zap is available to everyone,” he said. Through Zap, customers can also pay for many other services including Higher Education Loans Board remittances, DSTV monthly subscriptions and also perform a host of banking transactions. Zap has registered more than 6,000 agents countrywide and the services are also available across the 200 Posta outlets, Chandarana Supermarkets and Housing Finance Bank branches. Zap provides the most comprehensive and accessible package of mobile banking features which allows customers to use their mobile phone 24 hours a day to manage their bank accounts, pay for goods and services and settle their utility bills. Customers can send a minimum of KES50 and a maximum of KES35,000 in a single transaction. Zap is expected to avail banking services to an estimated 80% of Kenya’s population who do not have access to banking services. The service is also available in Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, Ghana, Sierra Leone and Niger
|