Telkom Kenya and Airtel Kenya have introduced mobile money interoperability with Safaricom, allowing users from any network to pay merchants via Safaricom's Lipa Na M-Pesa Till numbers. The initiative excludes Pay Bill transactions but grants Airtel and Telkom customers access to 400,000 Safaricom tills, potentially boosting their mobile payment revenues.
Telkom CEO Mugo Kibati stated, "As of today, from any of the three wallets, you can make payments to any merchants and service providers who have a Lipa na M-Pesa Till." He emphasized the convenience for customers, noting that Telkom T-Kash users can now access services previously unavailable through their wallets.
Safaricom’s M-Pesa Africa Managing Director Sitoyo Lopokoiyit highlighted the benefits for merchants, explaining that the system eliminates the need for multiple Till numbers. "This is very convenient and efficient," he said, adding that the move aligns with Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) efforts to reduce transaction costs and improve payment platform integration.
In 2021, Safaricom generated Sh1.7 billion in mobile payment revenues, while Airtel and Telkom reported Sh1.3 billion and Sh86 million respectively. Safaricom’s 30 million monthly active users give it a dominant share of Lipa Na M-Pesa commissions, compared to Airtel Money’s 277,143 thousand and T-Kash’s 249,754 active users as of July 2021.
The CBK welcomed the interoperability launch, calling it a key step in modernizing Kenya’s payment services. The regulator noted that lack of full interoperability previously forced customers to use alternative payment methods, increasing complexity and costs. Future phases will extend interoperability to Pay Bill functions and agent networks, aiming for a seamless, secure, and affordable cross-network payment ecosystem.
