Somalis Get First Debit Card

Dahabshiil, a money-transfer company in the Horn of Africa, has introduced the first debit card in the Somaliland region. The card was launched in Somaliland’s capital Hargeisa because of insecurity elsewhere in the region.

The company hopes to roll the system out to all Somali-speaking areas from Djibouti to Kenya. Large shops and hotels in areas with good Internet connection and electricity can sign up to the service.

Dahabshiil’s general manager Abdul Rashid Mohamed Said said: “We believe Somalis here have the same needs as people in the UK or America and that’s why the debit card will make their lives easier,” adding that he hoped to create a “cashless society” by encouraging customers to link their accounts directly to their cards.

Comments are closed.