As mobile money transfer services grow across the region, stakeholders will meet in a conference to discuss how to best tap the opportunities presented by mobile money services on the continent.

Many Africans are using mobile money

The Mobile Money Transfer Africa conference and expo will be held at the Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi, from 4^th-7^th May.

According a press release from the organizers, the conference will attract leading operators in mobile telecommunications services, banks, microfinance institutions and professionals in the field.

After MTN introduced Mobile Money in Uganda almost two years, Zain and Uganda Telecom have both introduced their mobile money services which are taking care of the many people not reached by banking services.

Last week, Vodacom and NedBank announced their partnershipg to launch the M-PESA service in South Africa, while many companies like Safaricom and Vodacom have long made substantial investments in the mobile money transfer services.

The organisers of the MMT Africa say the highlights of the conference include:

• Vodacom will chart how they adapted the Kenyan M-PESA to suit the Tanzanian market
• Orange Money discuss the differences between launching in a competitive market compared to markets where you have first mover advantage
• Zain outline how they established their borderless mobile money infrastructure
• MTN compare mobile money experiences in East and West Africa
• Orascom highlight the mobile money opportunity in North Africa
• Safaricom detail how strategic partnerships will allow you to create a joined up and far reaching payments infrastructure

Key Speakers at the Conference

Michael Joseph, CEO, Safaricom
George Held, Group Marketing Director, Products and Innovation, Zain
Bruno Akpaka, General Manager, Mobile Money, MTN Ghana
Richard Mwami, Head Public Access and Mobile Money, MTN Uganda
Nicolas Levi, Orange Money Director, Orange Money
Zouhair Khaliq, CEo, Orascom International Investment Holdings
Jacques Voogt, Head of Department: Financial Services, Vodacom Tanzania
Kevin Kihara, Relationship Manager, Family Bank
Jan Chipchase, Principal Scientist, Nokia
Brian Richardson, CEO, WIZZIT
Stephen Mwaura Nduati, Head, National Payments System, Central Bank of Kenya
Lucy Kinunda, Head of National Payment Systems Act, Central Bank of Tanzania
Dela Selormy, National Payment System, Central Bank of Ghana
Sarah Langhan, Principal – Financial Inclusion, Quindiem Consulting
Olga Morawczynski, Consultant and PhD candidate, University of Edinburgh
Cameron Goldie-Scot, African Implementation Team Manager, Musoni
Tom Standage, Business Affairs Editor and author ‘Mobile Marvels’, The Economist
Graham Wright, Director, MicroSave
Aiaze Mitha, Director, Amarante Consulting and former Product Director, M-Paisa
Kamal Budhabhatti, CEO, Craft Silicon
Ken Banks, Founder, kiwanja.net, FrontlineSMS
Ben Lyon, Executive Director, FrontlineSMS: Credit
Josh Nesbit, Executive Director, FrontlineSMS: Medic
Menekse Gencer, Director, mPay Connect Inc.
Emil Sjoblom, Researcher at Valuable Bits
Gunnar Camner, Researcher at Valuable Bits
Pertti Johansson, Chief Wireless Officer, Monitise
Eric Cantor, Director, AppLab Uganda, Grameen Foundation
Elizabeth Berthe, Director, Village Solutions, Grameen Foundation
Mwelwa Mwaba, Analyst, Payment Systems Development, Central Bank of Zambia
Elliott Mwebya, National Payment System, Central Bank of Uganda
Paolo Zambonini, Group Head of Innovation and Special Projects, ABSA Bank
Aleeda Fazal, Managing Director, Paradigm Solutions & Consulting, and former Project Manager, M-PESA and M-Paisa
Amyn Jivani, Director, Paradigm Solutions & Consulting
Rob Burrell, Managing Director, Mukuru
Thomas Christophersen, Head of New Product and Channel Development, MoneyGram
Paul Makin, Principal Consultant, Consult Hyperion and former M-PESA Concept Architect
Carol Caruso, Director, Advisory Services, Triple Jump
Thierno Seck, Director of Mobile Banking Projects, PlaNet Finance
Samee Zafar, Director, Edgar, Dunn & Company
Brett Magrath, Founder and Managing Director, Mobile Transactions
Brad Magrath, Founder and General Manager, Mobile Transactions
Richard Ketley, Director, Genesis Analytics
Paul Thomas, New Channel and Product Development Manager, MoneyGram
Lisa Shields, CEO, hyperWALLET Systems Inc.
Malcolm Vernon, Director of Market Development, EMEA, Nokia Financial Services
Catherine Gichunge, Mobile Money Consultant to Globacom Nigeria Ltd
Yolande van Wyk, CEO, Smart Services, FNB
Rohit Bhatia, CEO, SEAMLESS
Alberto J. Jimenez, Mobile Banking SME, IBM Global Business Services