Diners Club Africa plans ‘leapfrog’ SA

DINERS Club International
is taking its charge card
into sub-Saharan Africa,
adding two new regions to
its portfolio – Mozambique
and Nigeria – by the end
of this year. A third African
destination, Angola, will follow.
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.
“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 is to focus
on the consumer market.
The uniqueness is that both
these markets will leapfrog
South Africa and offer credit
cards, whereas Diners Club
SA offers only charge cards
at the moment,” says Ashley
Mathura, head of African
Expansion at Diners Club SA.
“We will expand on lounge
access at airports,” Ashley
adds. “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. Although we already
welcome international visitors
at the CIP Premium Lounge at
Maputo International, we will
now be able to offer access to
domestic clients too.”
Ashley says the growing
construction industry in
Mozambique provides huge
opportunities. “Diners Club
will be looking at new partners
within the travel, entertainment
and retail industries.”
“South Africa is invested in
sub-Saharan African countries
and Diners Club is proud
to be making inroads into
these new markets,” says
Diners Club South Africa
md, Ebrahim Matthews. “By
offering Diners Club facilities
in each of these countries, we
are giving businessmen new
opportunities within the African
travel space.”