Nomanini, Paratus Telecom brings mobile airtime distribution service to Namibia

We’ve covered South African point of sale (PoS) startup Nomanini extensively in the past (especially its airtime distribution service), but now it’s broadening horizons across the border in Namibia, partnering with one of the country’s chief ICT providers, Paratus Telecom, to bring rural airtime retailers a “business in a box.”

Dubbed the Katiti, the brightly coloured box houses some nifty airtime-retrieving technology, including a battery large enough to last for five days on one charge. One charge takes just eight hours. Additionally, thanks to Nomanini’s cloud-based mobile PoS platform, the Katiti doesn’t require cables or electricity to function in remote regions. Informal retailers simply press a few buttons and the airtime is printed immediately on site.

“We wanted to bring something new to the market – something that would not only benefit us, and the millions of people who use prepaid phones, but that would also give entrepreneurial individuals an opportunity to supplement their incomes,” notes MD of Namibia’s Paratus Telecom, John D’Alton.

Essentially, the Katiti allows informal retailers to broaden their scope and consumers in rural areas to purchase airtime for their mobile devices, which have become a necessity in the African context.

For Nomanini, this also sees another African country added to the company’s growing portfolio:

“This launch is so exciting for Nomanini. Namibia is the tenth African country that we have forged a partnership in, and we look forward to embarking on the journey with John and his team,” notes the company’s CEO, Vahid Monadjem.