Rwanda’s instant payment system, eKash has been operational for four months now, processing transfers between different banks and mobile money providers but does not handle transactions between customers using the same provider, such as MTN MoMo-to-MoMo transfers.

The implementation of the system started in July, following a directive by the National Bank of Rwanda (BNR). It connects banks, mobile money providers, savings and credit cooperatives (SACCOs) and microfinance institutions through a single national payment infrastructure.

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It also introduces a maximum fee of Rwf20 per eligible person-to-person transfer, with transactions of up to Rwf10 million supported, subject to individual financial institutions’ limits.

However, transfers between customers using the same mobile money provider, such as MTN MoMo, are handled within that provider’s own system rather than through eKash.

Clinton Chirenje, RSwitch’s Senior Marketing and Communications Officer, said this is because eKash is designed to connect separate financial institutions, allowing customers to transfer money between providers instantly.

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"When both sender and recipient hold wallets with the same provider, for example MTN MoMo to MTN MoMo, the money moves within that provider’s own system. No transfer between institutions takes place, so there is no need for a national switch to route, clear or settle it,” he said.

Chirenje said this reflects the system’s intended function rather than a limitation in its reach.

What the rules require

"The requirement applies to interoperable transfers, meaning those between different licensed institutions. Transfers within a single provider’s platform are internal transactions, and that provider continues to process them on its own system,” he said.

Under the framework, eKash supports four types of transfers between different institutions: account-to-account, account-to-wallet, wallet-to-account and wallet-to-wallet.

Customers do not need to open new accounts or download a separate application to use the system. They can continue using their existing bank accounts and mobile money wallets through the digital channels provided by their financial institutions.

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Why same-network transfers bypass eKash

According to Chirenje, routing a transfer through the national switch and back to the same provider would add extra steps, increase costs and create more potential points of failure without benefiting customers.

"Same-network transfers are therefore not a technical limitation of eKash, and providers are not opting out of anything.”

"From an operator’s perspective, eKash’s role as set out in the directive is to remove barriers between providers, so that any Rwandan can pay anyone on any network or bank instantly and affordably,” he added.