NationHela, a new international money transfer platform that allows you to send and receive money from anywhere in the world, was this morning, 15 August, 2012, launched at Nation Center.

NationHela is a partnership between Nation Media Group and Diamond Trust Bank that is designed to meet the specific need of people in the diaspora sending money back home and their recipients.

Speaking at the launch, Nation Media Group CEO, Linus Gitahi said, “At Nation Media Group we are constantly looking for ways to add value to our customers lives through product innovation. NationHela is a new, simpler, more convenient and affordable international money transfer service that allows you to receive money, from anywhere in the world, straight to a virtual account linked to a prepaid Visa card and mobile phone wallet. NationHela offers our readers in the Diaspora the convenience of being able to send money home while they’re catching up on their news. Recipients also no longer need to travel long distances to a money transfer agent or queue to receive their cash; they can access it instantly on their mobile phone or prepaid Visa card.”

So far, KES 590 million has sent to Kenya from the diaspora since 2012 begun, reflecting a 44 per cent increase as compared to the same period last year. 48 per cent of this is money from North America and 28 per cent is from Europe. NationHela targets this market segment.

Diamond Trust Bank (DTB) provided the technical background for the creation of NationHela with input from several other partners such as Craft Silicon, a local software company that developed the mobile platform.

Speaking at the launch, DTB CEO, Nasim Devji said, “NationHela is a significant innovation for the banking industry. It is only a simpler and more convenient way to remitting money; it is significantly cheaper than other leading international money transfer sevices. The money transfer channels are also very safe and that th platform is fully regulated by the Central Bank.”

NationHela is an international money transfer service that allows you to send and receive money from anywhere in the world straight to a NationHela prepaid Visa card and mobile phone.

Watch out for a subsequent post on a detailed breakdown of how you can use NationHela.