Vodafone Samoa has gone into a partnership with the Samoa National Provident Fund (SNPF) which will enable the Fund's senior citizens to receive their monthly pensions through their phones via the M-Tala app.

In a joint statement on the partnership, Vodafone Samoa and the SNPF described it as a pivotal step in Samoa's goal to promote financial inclusion, which will enable ordinary Samoans to access financial services directly through their mobile phones.

"This access to financial services will also support the step towards the Samoa Government's goal for digital transformation," Vodafone Samoa and SNPF said.

"Furthermore, this partnership will also give all of SNPF clients access to make voluntary payments to their contributions and loans directly from their mobile phones simply by dialing *175# and taking away the trouble of having to travel to and from the city to make payments."

The mobile phone company and the Fund said as an introductory offer, there will be no fees for the repayment of loans and all fees for M-Tala are available on the M-Tala menu and the Vodafone Samoa website. 

Vodafone Samoa Acting CEO Rana Bose then talked about the benefits of the M-Tala mobile phone app, saying it makes life easier for its users in Samoa. 

“M-Tala empowers all Samoans in all walks of life a safer, convenient and easier way of receiving funds or making payments," he said. 

"The method also helps streamline transactions, reducing wait times and increasing customer satisfaction."

The SNPF CEO Pauli Prince Suhren said the partnership between the Fund and Vodafone Samoa is about enabling Samoans to add value to their lives through the use of available technology.

“SNPF is glad to partner with Vodafone to further our own goal of achieving significant headway in our digital transformation goals," he said. "In the end it's about utilising available technology to ease and simplify our interaction with our members."

A Vodafone customer will need to register for M-Tala services free of cost from any Vodafone store with a valid ID including passport, driver’s license, SNPF ID, Pension ID, Employee ID or Voters ID.  Following registration the customer needs to dial *175# to avail the service.