As part of an expansion plan, Diners Club International is taking its charge card into sub-Saharan Africa, with two new regions – Mozambique and Nigeria – to be targeted before the end of the year.
Diners Club South Africa MD, Ebrahim Matthews, says the company will also move into Angola over the next year. “South Africa is invested in sub-Saharan countries and Diners Club is proud to be making inroads into these new markets.
“By offering Diners Club facilities in each of these countries, we are giving businessmen new opportunities within the African travel space.”
The launch sees the introduction of a range of new Diners Club card products in each country, including a new Diners Club credit card, which is not yet available in South Africa. Diners Club will partner and work exclusively with Standard Bank Mozambique and with Stanbic IBTC in Nigeria.
Initial projects will include the launch of Maputo’s first corporate card offering, with airport lounge access as well as ClubMiles rewards. The second phase will focus on the consumer market. The uniqueness is that the Mozambique and Nigerian markets will leapfrog South Africa and offer credit cards, whereas Diners Club SA currently only offers charge cards.
Diners Club already offers lounge access to cardholders in Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Tanzania and Zimbabwe. Airport facilities will be expanded in Luanda, Lusaka and Kampala as well as Nairobi. International visitors currently use the CIP Premium Lounge at Maputo International but Diners Club will now extend access to domestic clients too.
“Diners Club cardholders travelling to Africa from Europe, the US and the rest of the world will benefit tremendously from these new markets,” says Diners Club Head of African Expansion, Ashley Mathura.
