NAIROBI, Kenya July 15 – Telkom and Airtel customers can now make direct mobile money payments to a Safaricom M-PESA Pay Bill Number following the upgrade of the transfer of money through merchants attached to different operators.
This move follows the telcos’ announcement in April this year, which saw Kenyans being able to make mobile money payments to M-PESA Buy Goods and Services Tills from any network.
With pay bill interoperability, customers can now make payments for utilities, schools, businesses, and other service providers, without regard to the network they are on.
“This innovation extends even more convenience to customers and businesses, transforming M-PESA into a one-stop solution to send and receive money and payments from any financial service locally, and our global partners,” said Safaricom’s CEO, Peter Ndegwa.
This proposition is also in line with the principles of the National Payments Strategy, 2022 – 2025, that was launched by the Central Bank of Kenya in February this year which seeks to achieve a secure, fast, efficient and collaborative payments system that supports financial inclusion and innovations that benefit Kenyans.
Telkom Kenya- Chief strategy & Business Development Officer, Julius Cheptiony noted that this move is a big win for their customers as they can now access any till from their wallet.
“We are excited to be part of this change that seeks to provide Kenyans with an affordable, convenient and secure cashless payments platform that will provide more options that empower customers as they go about their day-to-day economic activity,” said Airtel Kenya’s CEO, Ashish Malhotra.
CBK has commended the mobile money providers for their cooperation in achieving this milestone.
“Full interoperability will facilitate the deepening of the digitalisation of payments, increasing choice, affordability and customer-centricity of payment service,” the apex bank said in a statement.
