Zain, a mobile telecommunications provider in the Middle East and Africa, has revealed plans to roll out its Zap mobile commerce service in Niger, Sierra Leone and Malawi.

The company will collaborate with the following international banks within each of the above-mentioned countries: EcoBank (in Niger), Zenith Bank (in Sierra Leone) and National Bank of Malawi and NBS Bank (in Malawi).

The initiative follows the launch of the service in other three African countries (Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda) in 2009, which allows customers to access financial services via their mobile phones. Zain enables its customers in these three countries to use their mobile phone to pay for goods and services, pay electricity bills, send money to friends and family, transfer and receive money to and from their bank accounts, withdraw cash, top up airtime account or top up someone else's account as well as manage their bank accounts.

A password is needed for each transaction and the service is protected through a security application. Zain customers can sign-up for free for the new Zap banking and payment services by completing an application form and handing it over to registered Zain agents. In order to use the service, clients get the Zain mobile wallet application on their mobile phone. The application allows them to utilise their mobile phone as a bank account debit card and manage their money through their handset.