Chipper Cash, in partnership with Western Union and Zoona Transactions Zambia Limited, has launched a new international money transfer service that is now live inside the Chipper Cash mobile app. The move is designed to make it easier for Zambians to send and receive money across borders, using their smartphones.
The new service combines Chipper Cash’s mobile financial technology with Western Union’s global reach and Zoona’s local experience in Zambia. The three companies say the partnership will help more Zambians access secure and fast financial services, especially in areas where banking is still limited.
Chipper Cash, a fast-growing African fintech company, acquired Zoona in 2022. With this latest upgrade, users in Zambia can now use the Chipper Cash app to send money internationally. Recipients can receive the money directly into mobile wallets or bank accounts (a feature that will be available soon), or collect cash at Western Union’s many agent locations in more than 200 countries and territories.
“This collaboration delivers a powerful combination of Western Union’s cross-border capabilities and Chipper Cash’s mobile-first approach to financial services in Africa,” a representative of the partnership said in a joint statement. “By enabling reliable, accessible, and fast international payments, we aim to improve financial inclusion and economic participation for Zambians at home and abroad.”
The service is especially valuable for the Zambian diaspora—citizens living outside the country who regularly send money to support their families or do business. With this launch, they can now transfer funds more easily, reducing the delays and high fees often linked to traditional remittance methods.
Zoona, which has been serving Zambia’s financial sector for years, brings local expertise that helps Chipper Cash build trust with Zambian users. The combined operations now serve about 5 million users across the African continent, making it one of the largest mobile-based financial platforms in Africa.
The Chipper Cash app is known for being simple to use. Users can make peer-to-peer payments, pay bills, and now also send money abroad. By integrating with Western Union, the app expands its usefulness, bringing cross-border remittances into the hands of everyday users, including those in remote or rural areas.
According to financial experts, the launch of this international transfer feature reflects a wider trend happening across Africa, where mobile apps are transforming how money is managed and moved. This is especially important in countries like Zambia, where many people still don’t have access to traditional banking.
For the Zambian government, the move supports national efforts to improve financial inclusion and grow the digital economy. It also means more transparent, traceable money flows, which could help with national planning and economic development.
The announcement has been welcomed by small business owners, cross-border traders, and families who regularly depend on remittances. For them, speed and affordability are key, and Chipper’s new feature addresses both.
Remittance is a big part of Africa’s economy. According to the World Bank, Africans in the diaspora send back billions of dollars every year. In Zambia, a large number of families rely on this money to pay for school fees, rent, healthcare, and food. Making the process faster and cheaper can have a major social and economic impact.
Chipper Cash, founded in 2018 by Ham Serunjogi (Uganda) and Maijid Moujaled (Ghana), has grown into a major fintech player in Africa. With backing from investors such as Jeff Bezos’s Bezos Expeditions, the company offers services in multiple African countries, including Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Rwanda, and now Zambia.
As digital finance adoption grows across Africa, Chipper Cash is positioning itself as a leader in connecting African users with global financial networks. This latest launch highlights its long-term goal of building an interconnected and financially inclusive Africa where people can move money freely—no matter where they live.
