Commercial Bank of Africa (CBA) has partnered with Vodacom to launch M-Pawa, a revolutionary mobile banking service that makes it possible for millions of Tanzanians to save, earn interest and borrow money using their mobile phones. The launch of this service has made big news all over social, and traditional media. But is this service worth all the hype? Let’s see.
We can all agree that opening an M-Pawa account is easy, convenient and
fast. Better still, you get to open your account from the comfort of your
mobile phone wherever whenever. All you need to be is a registered Vodacom
subscriber, registered M-Pesa user, and have an active Vodacom M-Pesa
account/line/. As it is the norm, you should be of legal with identification
documentation.
If you meet the above qualifications, the process is simple.
What functions are available on the M-Pawa Menu?
The following options are available on the M-Pawa menu;
- Send
money
- Withdraw
money
- Loan
- Balance
- Mini-statement
- Terms
and conditions
Is there a need for different PINs for M-Pesa and M-Pawa
accounts?
No. M-Pesa and M-Pawa accounts use the same PIN.
How do I activate M-Pawa?
- Go
to M-Pesa menu (*150*00#)
- Select
“M-Pawa”
- Go
to “Activate account”. The 2nd option is Terms & Conditions
- Enter
M-Pesa PIN
- A
message will appear requesting whether you have read and accept the Terms
& Conditions. After accepting; an SMS will be sent informing you that
your M-Pawa request has been received and will be processed shortly.
- A
notification to confirm that your account has been successfully created
will follow.
How can you deposit money to your savings account?
You can deposit money into your savings account with the following steps:
- Go
to ‘M-Pesa’ menu
- Select
“M-Pawa”
- Select
‘Send to M-Pawa’
- Enter
the amount to be sent
- Enter
M-Pesa PIN
- Confirm
the message displayed by pressing 1 to confirm or 2 to cancel
- Wait
for the deposit confirmation message.
How can you withdraw money from your savings account?
- Go
to M-Pesa menu
- Select
“M-Pawa”
- Select
‘Withdraw from M-Pawa’.
- Enter
Amount
- Enter
M-Pesa PIN
- Confirm
the details then press 1 to confirm
- Wait
for a confirmation SMS message.
Loans
For the first loan, you will be eligible to take, you should
have deposited money into your account. the amount you can borrow will be based
on your usage of Vodacom Voice and DATE as well as M-Pesa usage.
Early loan repayments will increase your future loan
qualification. Remember, your loan limit is dependent on your previous loan
repayment behavior and usage of other Vodacom services.
You will be able to withdraw cash from your nearest M-Pesa
agent and you can access a mini statement of you M-Pawa transactions
conveniently via SMS.
Next Big Thing?
M-Pawa is probably the next big thing. The convenience of paperless, safe, and fast service can’t go unnoticed. The service will help nature a saving culture given the competitive interest calculated daily and paid out at the end of each calendar quarter. Lack of ledger fees, withdrawal and deposit charges makes the service affordable.