South Sudan’s m-Gurush launches international remittance service

JUBA – South Sudan’s first mobile money service, m-Gurush on Thursday launched its international remittance service on its mobile money platform.

The international remittance service will enable m-Gurush customers to send and receive money to several countries across the globe using mobile money.

Johnny Ohisa, First Deputy Governor of the Central Bank said the Central Bank will work with National Communication Authority to wave tax on mobile phones to attract more people to use m-Gurush.

“In order for this thing to be inclusive, we want mobile phones to be tax-free for everybody to own m-Gurush in villages or everywhere, the government should wave taxes on mobile phones,” Ohisa said during the launch of m-Gurush international remittance service in Juba on Thursday.

Ohisa unveiled the bank’s plans to establish a national payment system in a bid to foster financial sector stability and economic growth in the country.

“We have plans to establish a national payment system. We are actually trying to join the East African payment system, you know cleaning of money doesn’t take time, it still stands instantly.  When you send it here in SSP within the region, it goes to whoever receives it,” he said.

Adok Napoleon, Director General of the National Communication Authority said security illiteracy is a major obstacle hindering the development of the communication sector in the country.

‘Why I think the achievement of information security is important is simply because of the doubt and apprehension our people still have. The CEO early described it as financial illiteracy but there is also security illiteracy in this sector,” Napoleon said.

“For you to truly convince your customers that their money is saving in some gadget, it requires our collective efforts both at regulatory level and service provider level,” Napoleon added.

Joseph Arinaitwe, Vice President of m-Gurush said the international remittance service will enable South Sudanese in Diaspora to send money home.

“We have added another ten countries to our platform through which anyone in South Sudan can send money to basically to connect South Sudan to all East African countries such as Uganda, Kenya Rwanda, and Burundi and have now added Somalia, Ethiopia, DRC Congo, Congo Brazzaville, Malawi, Ghana, India, China, and Pakistan,” Arinaitwe said.

Launched in 2019, m-Gurush has a wide network of agents across South Sudan to enable customers to register, deposit and withdraw money.

The m-Gurush Mobile Money Service is offered by Trinity Technologies Limited in partnership with Zain.