Mobile money platforms are evolving in Zimbabwe but need to rise above what industry experts have described as 'protectionism' by operators, agents and others.

The southern African country has three mobile companies - Econet Wireless, NetOne and Telecel Zimbabwe, and each runs its own mobile money platform. Banks also have mobile money platforms of their own.

Companies such as NettCash, now owned by global mobile commerce company, Mozido, have also forayed into this space.

However, mobile money agents have complained that some operators are still protective of their offerings.

"We are still not allowed to offer other services by some operators because they want us to be exclusive distributors," said an agent who spoke to ITWeb Africa on condition of anonymity

Smaller players in the mobile money distribution space are worried and complain that they are being "barred from integrating other services" unless they are transacted using the operator's mobile money platform.

Other mobile and electronic distributors of airtime and bill payment merchants have raised similar concerns. Mozido's NettCash has decided to diversify and offer electricity bill payments through its mobile payment platform.

"Mozido's global strategy is to identify opportunities where mobile financial services, that are designed to be inclusive and easily accessible, can solve important problems for the region – no matter the user's banking status or physical location," said Michael Liberty, the founder of Mozido, in the company's announcement of their acquisition of NettCash on Tuesday.

He said Mozido was making it "possible for hundreds of thousands of families to simply top up their electricity meters whenever they need, instantly from their mobile phones".

The Mozido NettCash mobile utility bill payment platform service had reached more than 250,000 consumers in just four months since its launch in February 2015, the company added..

"Mozido's NettCash services use mobile phones to fill a real need to conveniently pay for essential services in a predominantly cash society," said BJ Carter, president of EMEA at Mozido.

Officials said Mozido will expand the Zimbabwean mobile bill pay to include other service and utility providers, and add inbound remittance transactions, and person-to-person payments.