Mastercard has partnered with Global Accelerex Ghana, a licensed financial technology company that is into the provision of electronic payment systems and devices to enhance digital and electronic payments acceptance as well as business management tool for SMEs.
The partnership is aimed at driving digital and electronic payments, and forms part of the Ghana Food Festival campaign – the first of its kind – which allows all Mastercard holders to dine and wine at some of the biggest and best restaurants and bars in Ghana at discounted prices.
The food and hospitality sector has been affected greatly by the COVID-19 pandemic due to public fear and government’s directive for all restaurants to be closed to aid efforts at fighting the spread of the virus.
However, as the ban on public gathering begins to ease, it has become important to find ways to catalyse business growth in the sector to ensure sustainability. Both Mastercard and Accelerex Ghana are using this campaign as a tool to steer patronage to ensure the sector is back on its feet whiles promoting the use of digital and electronic payments.
As part of the month-long campaign, which runs from 11th of September – 11th October 2021, Mastercard holders will be given 5 percent discount off all items patronised at 12 selected restaurants in the country. This discount is not limited to fine dining; casual dining and pizza outlets are also not left out.
Commenting on their participation in the campaign, Naeem Fakeeh, Manager of Li Beirut, a restaurant that offers the best experience in oriental sea food uniquely made with a touch of Lebanese taste, expressed excitement, and noted that the campaign is timely after a long break in business.
For Mastercard, this campaign is also a way of rewarding its existing users and encouraging prospective ones to sign up by engaging a passion point which is the art of dining.
The company is providing one month radio and online advertisement as well as branded merchandise for the participating restaurants to help boost their visibility in the market.
The Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Global Accelerex Ghana, Sebastian Yallley, noted that “as one of the leading fintech’s in the country, we are obliged to develop innovative products that will democratise access to bespoke digital and electronic payment solutions for businesses of all sizes both locally and internationally.
That is why we are providing these restaurants with our RexRetail solution to enable them accept payments from all the card schemes including Mastercard and mobile money from all operators. We believe it will contribute immensely towards the cash-lite agenda of Ghana.”
The government through the Ghana Interbank Payment and Settlement System, (GhIPSS) has been aggressively promoting the cash-lite agenda and the partnership between Mastercard and Global Accerelex Ghana is further expected to consolidate the government digitalisation and electronic payment efforts.
Participating restaurants and bars include The Last Stop Over, Massai Lounge, Meet and Eat, Crisberry Bar and Restaurant, Kings Food Court, Obulebu Premier Foods, Gladena Food Joint, Hoxton Food Court, Simret Ethiopian Restaurant, T-Havana, The Breakfast Bar and Li Beirut.
