• M-Pesa Ethiopia partners Amhara to enable digital tax payments

• Safaricom expands services aligning with national digital strategy

• Platform reports 5 million users, trailing Telebirr’s 58.6 million

M-Pesa Ethiopia has signed a memorandum of understanding with authorities in the Amhara region to facilitate tax payments, as Safaricom Ethiopia expands its digital financial services in line with the government’s digital transformation agenda.

“With this partnership, taxpayers in the Amhara Region will be able to make safe, fast and convenient tax payments through M-Pesa from anywhere,” the company said in a statement published on LinkedIn on Saturday, March 21.

M-PESA Ethiopia and Amhara Regional Revenue Bureau Sign MoU to Enable Digital Tax Payments
March 21, 2026 | Bahir Dar, Ethiopia pic.twitter.com/GnlzG0UCuy

— Andualem Admassie/PhD/ (@AndualemAdmassi) March 21, 2026

At the signing ceremony, M-Pesa representative Getachew Mengiste said the company aims to expand inclusive digital financial services, improve access to public services and promote the use of efficient digital payment solutions. He added that the platform is already widely used in several regions to pay utility bills, including water and electricity.

Broadening partnerships

In July 2024, Safaricom signed an agreement with the national electricity company to enable bill payments via M-Pesa. In March 2025, it reached a separate agreement with the Ministry of Health to introduce digital payments in the public health sector.

Through these initiatives, Safaricom is strengthening its presence in Ethiopia by aligning with the government’s digital strategy. The national digital payment strategy for 2026–2030, unveiled in December 2025, aims to accelerate the shift toward a cashless economy by expanding access to financial services and supporting innovation.

These partnerships create new revenue streams for M-Pesa and could drive wider adoption as demand for digital services grows. The platform reports 5 million active users over a 90-day period, compared with 58.61 million Telebirr subscriptions at end-December 2025.

Isaac K. Kassouwi