Wegagen Bank Unveils Global Prepaid Visa Card

Aug 25 , 2024


[ssba-buttons]

Customers of Wegagen Bank are set to make cashless payments globally at ATMs and point-of-sale (POS) terminals, as the Bank introduces an international prepaid Visa card. Yared Endale, country manager of Visa Inc., underscored the Visa card's role in expanding access to international financial services and promoting economic inclusion. Officials from Tigray Regional State, and executives from VISA Inc. and Wegagen Bank unveiled the new service in Meqelle City last week. Solomon Tesfaye, deputy CEO of Technology at Wegagen Bank, emphasised the card's value in facilitating online e-commerce transactions and providing a convenient alternative for sending money from abroad. Established in 1997, Wegagen Bank has experienced substantial growth, with total assets reaching 53.49 billion Br in the 2022/23 fiscal year. Its paid-up capital and net profit also saw increases during this period. VISA Inc. recently teamed with Ethio Telecom to launch a wallet-based virtual Visa card called 'Telebirr Remit'. This service aims to enhance international money transfer remittance services using a Telebirr virtual card number.


Radar

Milkii App Disburses 25 Million Br in Collateral-Free Loans in Two Months

Oromia Bank's new collateral-free digital lending app, Milkii, has disbursed 25 million Br in loans without requiring collateral. Of this, 16 million Br has already been repaid, generating 1.4 million Br in revenue within just two months. Developed in partnership with Quantum Technology PLC, the app plans to make lending more accessible and inclusive, aligning with Oromia Bank's contribution to the Digital Ethiopia initiative. According to a press release, Milkii promotes financial inclusi...


Radar

Ethiopia Partners with UK to Ease Shipping Bottlenecks

The Ethiopian Freight Forwarders & Shipping Agents Association (EFFSAA) and the British International Freight Association (BIFA) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on May 27, 2025, at Hilton Hotel Addis Abeba, to address skills gaps, customs delays, and corridor inefficiencies in the freight and logistics sector. The partnership focuses on technical cooperation, training, and regulatory reform. With over 90pc of trade dependent on the Djibouti corridor, rising congestion, customs...


Radar

Education Authority Sanctions Mishqen College for Rule Violations

The Education & Training Authority has issued a decisive directive last week, mandating legal action against Mishqen College for persistently defying regulatory orders and unlawfully continuing to offer higher education services. Mishqen College had previously been licensed to conduct undergraduate distance learning programs across multiple regions from 2019 to 2022. However, after serious regulatory breaches, the institution was ordered to cease all instruction, complete pending academic...