Telkom Kenya and Airtel Kenya have launched mobile money interoperability with Safaricom, allowing customers from any network to make payments to merchants using Lipa na M-Pesa Till numbers. The initiative excludes Pay Bill transactions but expands access to 400,000 Safaricom-operated tills, potentially increasing revenues for the two telcos.
Telkom Kenya CEO Mugo Kibati emphasized the expansion’s benefits, stating, "All our T-Kash customers can now access services previously unavailable through their wallets." The development aligns with Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) efforts to streamline payment systems and reduce friction between platforms.
Safaricom’s Lipa na M-Pesa service generated Sh1.7 billion in payments revenue in 2021, with 30 million monthly active users. In contrast, Airtel Money and T-Kash reported 277,143 thousand and 249,754 active users respectively as of July 2021. Despite Safaricom’s dominant market share, the interoperability agreement aims to create a unified payment experience across networks.
CBK welcomed the move as a "critical step" in evolving Kenya’s payment infrastructure. The regulator noted that lack of interoperability previously forced customers to use alternative methods, increasing costs and complexity. Future phases will extend interoperability to Pay Bill functions and agent networks, with the CBK committing to support full-scale integration.
Neither Telkom nor Airtel disclosed revenue-sharing terms under the new platform. Mugo Kibati stated, "The experience for customers remains the same, and we prioritize not burdening them further." Safaricom’s Sitoyo Lopokoiyit added, "Interoperability simplifies merchant operations by eliminating the need for multiple Till numbers."
