(Ecofin Agency) - According to businessdailyafrica.com, 3 out of the 6 telecom operators active in Tanzania have distributed around Tsh153.58 billion (USD68.04 million) to their mobile money users in the past 3 years. Those are Vodacom, Airtel and Tigo.

Last September 20, Vodacom shared Tsh6 billion (USD2,661,039) to its M-Pesa subscribers. According to Sitoyo Lopokoiyit, manager of M-Pesa, the money redistributed is part of benefits on M-Pesa operations covering the period between April 1^st and June 30^th, 2017. “With the current distribution, Vodacom will have distributed a staggering Tsh86 billion since it first started sharing interest earned from M-Pesa trust accounts held with various commercial banks in the country,” he said.

As for Airtel and Tigo, they have respectively distributed Tsh63.58 billion (USD28,198,153) and Tsh10 billion (USD4,435,066) to their Airtel Money and Tigo Cash subscribers.

In February 2014, the Bank of Tanzania (BoT) instructed all telecom operators to share the interests generated by Mobile Money accounts to the account holders, agents, super agents, banks, partner companies, and dealers. Zantel, TTCL, and Halotel are yet to start sharing their interests.