Discover the 12 digital wallets in Angola

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First of all, it is important to define here the concept of “digital wallet” that we will use, which in this case is any and all technology or system that allows the movement of money, from one recipient to another, from a mobile device, without the need to resort to cash.

Having defined the concept of digital wallet, we have the base that we will use to list the Angolan digital wallets. The list is in no particular order, however, towards the end, I will present what I think is the most complete solution among them. Popularly, there are two types of digital wallet solutions, offline solutions, which do not depend on the internet to function, and solutions that depend on an internet connection or mobile data.

Important: I only use two of the 11 digital services presented here, the article was written based on third-party experiences and/or information available on the internet.

Offline Solutions (USSD)

Offline digital wallets have the USSD as a technological solution (Unstructured Supplementary Service Data), which is a communication protocol for mobile phones. Through USSD codes, you can access web-based services without installing a mobile app.

The USSD messaging protocol is part of the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) digital cellular standard. Like SMS and MMS services, the USSD service facilitates communication without the need for a dedicated application. Unlike SMS, which is used to exchange text messages between two mobile phones, USSD establishes a real-time connection between your mobile phone and a mobile network or server, so you can do things like top up your voice or data, check your bank account and much more without having to download or install any apps on your device.

We've already said a lot, well, now let's get to know the offline digital wallet solutions in Angola.

1. Streamlines

Agiliza is the USSD electronic payment solution provided by Banco Millennium Atlântico. Below I also talk about é-Kwanza, which belongs to the BAI bank.

The big difference I noticed between the Streamlines and the e-Kwanza, is that the Streamlines it's a channel offline direct access to your bank account. While in other offline digital wallet solutions, the wallet works as a separate “thing”, with Agiliza, the situation is different.

If you already have a bank account in custody at Banco Millennium Atlântico, when you join Agiliza, you get a second channel of access to your bank account. To join, dial *400# and click on the call button.

2. e-Kwanza

Like the streamline, o e-Kwanza, is also a USSD payment solution, which unlike Agiliza already works as a separate mobile account from your main account.

As noted on the website e-kwanza.ao “It is a technological platform that allows the customer to register and maintain his data, account unblocking, transfers, deposit and withdrawal of money, conversion of money into “electronic money” and vice versa, payment for goods and services, via web application, Android application and USSD commands”. To join, dial *402# and click on the call button.

3. eKumbu

In the race to present payment solutions, Banco Sol was not left out, presenting to the public eKumbu, a service that aims to increase financial inclusion through mobile phone payments. In a press release, Banco Sol states that “in addition to other classic banking services, its mission and strategy also include financial inclusion”.

According to the note published by its communication office, this financial inclusion “is intended to cover all segments or fringes of the population, therefore, EKUMBU, is a service that came to complement all the inclusion action that over these 20 years, with dedication and commitment the bank has been providing.” eKumbu is more similar to é-Kwanza, there is almost no difference between one solution and another.

Online Solutions

4. BNIX

BNIX is a service that came up with the promise of revolutionizing the way you manage your money on a daily basis. It was introduced to the market by the BNI bank. BNIX allowed you to make payments, BNIX transfers, bank transfers, check account balances, purchases, Multicaixa top-ups, deposits and withdrawals, all through your mobile phone.

Viewer discretion: Unfortunately BNI has decided to suspend BNIX, and it is currently unavailable.

5. Xikila Money

In the cemetery of digital wallet solutions in Angola, we also found Xikila Money, which enjoyed a certain popularity among Angolan communities. Xikila Money emerged as an innovative offer in Angola, that is, it allowed the use of the mobile phone as a digital wallet and based on that, make various payments via mobile.

This service transformed the cell phone into a bank account and gave the user the possibility to carry out bank transactions in a comfortable and safe way at any time of the day. Xikila Money allowed the user to make payments for various services, such as:

• Cash deposit.
• Transfer money to other Xikila accounts.
• Transfer and receive money from accounts of other banks.
• Pay the bills of television, energy, water, mobile phone, internet.
• Pay for purchases of goods and services.
• Raise money.

For a person to start using the Xikila Money service, the user had to open an account at a Xikila Money branch or kiosk, which was completely free, and make a deposit into the Xikila account. As far as I know, Xikila Money operated on the basis of the service USSD.

6🇧🇷 MULTICAIXA Express (MCX Express)

Multicaixa Express takes all operations that can be carried out in (physical) multicaixas to “digital”. With more than 1 million downloads on the Google Play Store, I dare say that it is the most used digital wallet in Angola.

EMIS does not your site says "MULTICAIXA Express (MCX Express) is the new interbank payment channel made available by EMIS, through the association of several MULTICAIXA cards on the mobile phone, aiming to be the driving vehicle for the massification of electronic payments in Angola”.

The innovative MULTICAIXA Express application offers a solution for payments, queries, withdrawals and transfers via mobile phone and now much more recent allows transfers between MULTICAIXA Express accounts.

With MCX Express, it is possible to pay for various services such as: water, electricity, television, Internet, buy plane tickets, charge your mobile phone, check your balance and movements, make transfers and also make requests for withdrawals without a card.”

With MULTICAIXA Express, you always have MULTICAIXA at ​​hand. To join, just download the App for Android here, or for iOS here.

7. Aki 

Aki introduces himself as “a hub of payment services through which users can quickly, simply, conveniently and securely find a wide range of goods and services.

For day-to-day purchases, paying for goods and services, withdrawing, transferring and depositing money in complete safety and simplicity, a simpler system than a bank was born.

AKI is your mobile bank that is where you need it, easy and hassle-free.” To join, click Aki.

8. Here Pay

Incredible as it may seem, in our digital payments services square, we have Aki Paga, with a name similar to the solution above, its service differs little from it.

Developed by Kwattel SA, Aki Paga allows payments, withdrawals and deposits, and top-ups. As you can see, the main difference between Aki and Aki Paga is that the second is based on USSD while the first is a WEB solution.

9. UnitelMoney

The most popular of all, the famous unitel money which, as the name implies, was introduced to the market by the Angolan mobile operator UNITEL, intending to be the National Mobile Bank of Angola. UNITEL SPM operates under the UNITEL Money brand.

Its mission is to contribute to the digitization of payment services, to the spread of financial inclusion, through mobile and instant transfers, commonly known as mobile payments or Mobile Money. The UNITEL Money App is available for devices iOS e Android, we look forward to a web version of the solution. To join, dial *449# and click on the call button.

10. Kamba

Continuing with digital wallet solutions in Angola, we also find Kamba – digital wallet.

On the wallet's official Facebook page, it is presented as “an electronic money account where you can add money and make payments without the need for a bank account. 100% mobile and no fees”🇧🇷 Kamba's great differential is that it allows, through the purchase of vouchers, pay for international services such as Spotify, Netflix and Steam. Click here to join.

11. PayPay

PayPay, or PayPay Africa or PayPay AO or even pay'pay AFRI (yes… it's kind of hard to know the exact name of the business) is a digital and interactive platform, usable on mobile phones, that allows you to make payments using QRcode, transfer and receive money, check your bank account balance and also allow you to link it to a digital wallet. The PayPay user experience is quite smooth and intuitive, I just wish they had a more robust graphical interface.

13. Kwanza Online

I would like to end the article by making an honorable mention to Kwanza Online🇧🇷 The late Kwanza Online was an online payment solution developed by Célio Garcia.

It was the first Angolan online payment service, allowing Angolans to shop in Angolan stores that already practiced e-commerce, thus facilitating the buying and selling process in the national territory.

Kwanza Online was like a Multicaixa on your computer, allowing Angolans and others to recharge their mobile phones (UNITEL and MOVICEL), pay the subscription to ZAP, NetOne, and perhaps other services from their computer.

This service offered two types of accounts:

• Personal account

Who created a personal account were natural persons.

•  Account cthe mercy

This account was for merchants, i.e. all those who had stores and would like to receive payments online.

We can say that Kwanza Online was the pioneer of digital wallets in Angola.