For most merchants and SMEs operating in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region, the ability to accept mobile payments has become increasingly important and, while not all financial vendors have made this a possibility, several had.

You can now add Network International to that list, with the digital commerce specialists announcing a partnership with Mastercard that will enable it to offer Tap on Phone functionality at an estimated 500 000 merchants in the MEA region.

“Customers will simply tap their card or device to make the payment on the SME merchant’s phone, with each transaction processed through MPGS. In an omni-channel environment where consumers increasingly want more choice to pay the way they want to, Tap on Phone is an innovative, affordable, convenient, and welcome addition to the payment ecosystem,” explains Mastercard in a press release sent to Hypertext about how the system works.

“Small businesses are crucial for systemic economic recovery, and by connecting more SMEs to digital commerce tools and affordable payment acceptance solutions, we are putting in place a strong foundation that can facilitate sustainable growth,” adds Gaurang Shah, SVP at Mastercard.

Added to this, the two companies say they plan to work closely with government, financial organisations, fintechs and the wider business community to create opportunities for SMEs across the region.

“As a leading enabler of commerce, we remain committed to connect SMEs, the backbone of any economy, with innovative solutions that will drive wider acceptance across the region. We are proud to partner with Mastercard to grow the opportunities for entrepreneurs through the launch of Tap on Phone,” enthuses Andrew Key, Group MD for Acquiring at Network International.