Consumers in Sierra Leone are set to see a broader range of mobile money services after satellite television provider DStv announced that it has joined the Splash Mobile Money ecosystem.

As a result of the deal, more than 5,000 DStv customers are now able to make payments immediately from anywhere in the country for their satellite subscriptions directly from their mobile phones. Previously, they had to queue up at a DStv agent location to pay for additional credit and then wait for their account to be updated. The parties involved are now exploring opportunities in other markets across Africa, where DStv boasts more than four million subscribers in over 40 countries.

In addition, commercial banks Access Bank and Ecobank Microfinance, have also joined the project, along with a national network of nearly 50 rural banks set up by the United Nations International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Ministry of Agriculture.

The ecosystem has been set up by mobile money transfer and payments services provider Splash Mobile Money and MoreMagic Solutions, a wholly owned subsidiary of Oberthur Technologies.

Splash operates across all mobile networks in Sierra Leone and aims to bank the unbanked and bring more convenience to the banked population and established businesses. It uses MoreMagic’s platform, which allows stakeholders to interconnect within a mobile commerce ecosystem to enable a secure service that is available to all mobile customers across Sierra Leone, irrespective of their service provider.

“The continued expansion of the Splash ecosystem means a richer experience for our customers” said Daniel Osei-Antwi, managing director at Splash Mobile Money. “The flexibility of MoreMagic’s platform has not only allowed us to scale, but has also enabled us to expand our portfolio of services by introducing new stakeholders to our ecosystem. Many of these new partners and clients have large regional footprints that present a compelling opportunity for growth beyond Sierra Leone in the near future.”