Despite the growing technological advances throughout Africa, the continent’s scratch card business still blossoms due to a lack of electronic infrastructure.
“Most of these people are going to need these sources, everyday,” says Lauren Neethling, Marketing Assistant from scratch card supplier Ellams Products Ltd.
There is a shortage of electronic systems that can handle the technologically advanced way of doing transactions in all areas, especially the remote places. Therefore scratch cards still serve as a substitute for recharging needs for most African people.
Ellams’s distribution sits at 10 billion sim cards, plus other prepaid scratch cards such as lottery tickets, top-up vouchers, multi pin cards, loyalty, promotional and gift cards.
Ellams is the second largest supplier of various scratch cards and sim packaging for 22 countries on the continent. Although scratch card producing companies are aware of the technological advances in tendencies to make these supplies obsolete, its high success numbers still encourages the industry as the market still has a need for a more concrete form of recharging and retailing through coupons.
Neethling said the use of these vouchers is already becoming obsolete in South Africa because of more developed systems.
Paper or plastic might seem like the opposite of tech advancement. However, these cards are currently providing the link between mobile devices and retail for the greater part in Africa.
Cards come with different security panels such as multi-pin recharge cards and scratch labels with tamper proof latex or foil.
Ellams Products Ltd was an exhibitor at AfricaCom 2012 held at the Cape Town International Conference Centre (CTICC) from Tuesday-Thursday.
