Angola Post Office seals retail deal with Western Union

Western Union money transfer services will be available in Angola for the first time ever under a new deal with the Angola Post Office. The US-based global payment services firm said the move into the African country was a vote of confidence in the continuing development of its economy.

The firm said making use of the post office network to offer international money transfer services should particularly help connect unbanked citizens and migrants outside cities.

It said more than 80% of post offices in Sub-Saharan Africa are located outside the three largest cities in each country, where 82.5% of the population is concentrated, according to UPU research.

Richard Malcolm, regional vice president for Southern and East Africa at Western Union, said: “We are delighted to start this collaboration with the Angola Post Office and are confident this will expand the network offering of Western Union services. We encourage investment in the country and remain positive that Angola will continue to prosper with the help of the international community.”

The government-owned Angola Post Office — Correios de Angola — has about 53 post offices in its network, with around 900 staff, serving a population of around 20m. The company hopes to expand its network to open as many as 150 more postal outlets by 2017. The expansion could see the work force expand to as many as 4,000.

The planned expansion of the post office network follows three decades of civil war in Angola following the end of Portuguese rule in 1975, which caused the destruction of much of the post office network.

Maria Luisa Andrade, president of the board at the Angola Post Office — said the alliance with Western Union will see the post office network driving further economic development in Angola.

“By offering Western Union services, we will be facilitating connectivity across the country, keeping our services relevant for years to come,” she said.