Airtel Ghana subscribers can now use their mobile phone devices to transact all forms of businesses from paying utility bills to boarding Trotros (commercial vehicles) in the country.

This followed Airtel Ghana’s new innovation in its award winning mobile commerce service formerly called Zap, which has now become Airtel Mobile to allow subscribers’ mobile phone to function as a mobile wallet.

In short, the Airtel Money has the most comprehensive package of e-commerce and payment features currently in the Ghanaian market that has brought on board financial institutions, super markets/shops, utility companies among many others to help facilitate Ghana's cashless system.

“Airtel Money is the first to launch in West Africa the mobile money banking part of the service,” Mr Emmanuel Kola, Head of Airtel Money told journalists in Accra on Wednesday at an experiential seminar on the offer.

Kenya, he said, introduced the system six years ago and today the country is largely a cashless society as commuters pay their lorry fares via their mobile phones and virtually buy everything with them.

Airtel Sales Director, Luck Ochieng said, “Airtel as a company has a track record that is unrivalled in mobile telecommunications for delivering relevant and innovative mobile solutions to help customers to overcome their daily challenges.”

“Our goal...is to make communications, banking, payments and infotainment affordable and accessible to all in Africa and especially in Ghana and through Airtel Money. We have created safety by initiating a cashless society....” he added.

The enhanced Airtel Money will provide millions of people with access to banking services for the first time and has the potential to transform banking in Africa and increase access to financial services.

Airtel customers can transfer funds from person to person, can access banking services, pay their bills and transfer airtime on and across networks.

Close to two million Airtel subscribers are currently registered with the service and more than 21,000 are using it for their day to day transactions.