Digital payments increase transparency and efficiency, reducing fraud, delays, and corruption in medical payments.
Safaricom M-PESA Ethiopia, in collaboration with other financial service providers, has partnered with the Federal Ministry of Health to introduce a secure and scalable digital payment system for the healthcare sector. This initiative, announced on March 5, aims to enhance financial inclusion, streamline medical payments, and improve service delivery across the country.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, officials highlighted that the collaboration involves key stakeholders, including the National Bank of Ethiopia, the Ministry of Finance, Ethiopia Health Insurance Services, and the UNDP’s Better Than Cash Alliance.
The partnership will integrate M-PESA’s digital payment solutions into health facilities, allowing for cashless transactions, automated insurance payments, and timely salary disbursements for Health Extension Workers. The pilot phase will roll out in selected healthcare facilities, alongside financial literacy training for healthcare workers and beneficiaries.
Ethiopia has one of the lowest financial inclusion rates in Africa. According to the World Bank’s Global Findex Report (2022), only 46.48% of Ethiopian adults have access to a formal financial institution, compared to the Sub-Saharan Africa average of 55%. By integrating M-PESA’s digital payment solutions, this initiative can bridge the financial access gap, allowing more people to participate in the formal economy, make secure healthcare payments, and benefit from a more transparent and efficient system.
Building on M-PESA’s success in driving financial inclusion across Africa, the initiative aims to make healthcare services more accessible and affordable.
Hikmatu Bilali
From Dakar to Nairobi, Kampala to Abidjan, mobile money has become a lifeline for millions of Africa...
Airtel Gabon, Moov sign deal to share telecom infrastructure Agreement aims to cut costs, boo...
• WAEMU posts 0.9% deflation in July, second month in a row• Food, hospitality prices drop; alcohol,...
Malawi votes in high-stakes presidential election Tuesday Economic crisis, inflation dominate vot...
Vision Invest invests $700m in Arise IIP, Africa’s largest private infrastructure deal in 202...
Metier Capital Growth Fund III invests an undisclosed sum in Watu Group. Watu operates in 8 African markets, with over 2 million loans disbursed since...
Mombasa's commuter train service resumed on September 17, 2025, after modernization. The expanded 16.6 km line connects Mombasa's main district and...
INP-HB and HABG signed an MoU to develop an Executive Master's in Compliance and Anti-Corruption. The program aims to train competent professionals in...
DBSA closed a 100 mln rand ($5.7 mln) financing for EV charging stations. Local firm Zero Carbon Charge will build 60 solar-powered stations by...
Surprisingly, only one African song made it onto Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. The track is "Essence," a collaboration...
The Umhlanga Festival, also known as the “Reed Dance,” is one of the most iconic cultural events in the Kingdom of Eswatini in Southern Africa. Every...