Zain, a leading telecom services provider, has won a top award for its mobile commerce service called Zap at the ongoing mobile world congress in Barcelona.

Zain claimed the inaugural GSMA’s 2010 Mobile Money for the Unbanked Service award for its mobile commerce service at the Global Mobile Awards, the industry’s leading annual prize ceremony, announced at the three-day Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, ending today (February 18).

The Mobile Money for the Unbanked (MMU) Service is a new award, established to recognize innovative mobile banking around the world that pioneers the roll out of low-cost financial services to millions of people, in countries where traditional financial services are either not within easy reach or unavailable.

It is aligned to the GSMA's MMU initiative, which was created to connect the unconnected and improve the social, economic and environmental well-being of the world's population living on less than $2 a day by supporting and encouraging the development of sustainable mobile money solutions.

“This is yet another indication that Zain is at the cutting edge of technological development,” said Chris Gabriel, CEO of Zain Africa.

“Not only are we pushing the boundaries of where the mobile phone can take us, we are showing that we can improve lives and make sustainable economic contributions in the countries where we operate. Time and again Zain is showing that when it promises ‘A wonderful world’, it is more than a slogan,” he added. – TradeArabia News Service