Mobile operator Safaricom enters discussions with US tech giant Amazon to integrate its M-Pesa mobile payment service into the company’s platform. The announcement was made yesterday by Safaricom CEO Peter Ndegwa (pictured).
The boss of Kenya’s leading telecom operator said that the success of these exchanges will strengthen the fruitful collaboration that the two companies already have. Safaricom and Amazon are already working together on web services, with the former managing the local sales of the U.S. giant's cloud service.
Safaricom's desire to introduce M-Pesa as a payment method on Amazon is in line with its expansion strategy, which it has already initiated by signing partnership agreements with Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holdings Ltd and Paypal Holdings Inc.
If successful, the Safaricom-Amazon partnership will help multiply revenues for M-Pesa, which saw a 2.1% decline in revenue in H1 2020 due to government-imposed free operations during the Covid-19 crisis. Growth was restored in H2 with the end of free transactions in Q4. The value of M-Pesa transactions increased by 58.2% YoY to KSh22.04 trillion ($205.5 billion). Transaction volume increased by 29.8% to KSh11.68 billion from KSH9 billion in 2019.
Muriel Edjo
• Global coffee consumption projected to hit a record 169.4 million 60-kg bags in 2025/2026, up from...
• Investors seem to keep focusing on yields, which are high for the moment• New Leadership might see...
• Algeria grants commercial 5G licenses to top three telecom operators: Mobilis, Djezzy, and Ooredoo...
• ECOWAS Bank funds 47.7-km stretch of strategic 700-km road project• Lagos-Calabar highway seen boo...
• IFC teams up with AfDB and Nigeria’s EbonyLife to assess a new fund for African cinema• Sector cou...
South Africa signs a bilateral agreement with Austria to boost technical and vocational education and training (TVET). The partnership promotes...
Bomboré gold mine increased production to 56,236 ounces in H1 2025, up from 55,663 ounces in H1 2024. Orezone generated $177...
Burkina Faso promotes AI using local languages to increase inclusion. The initiative aims to train young technicians and expand digital...
Cauri Money launches Gajo Money, an e-wallet for the Cameroonian diaspora, targeting €120 million in transactions by end-2025. The fintech...
Located about 40 kilometers from Cape Town’s city center, Boulders Beach in Simon’s Town is one of the Cape Peninsula’s most iconic destinations. This...
The Gerewol tradition is a fascinating ritual celebrated by the Bororo Fulani, a nomadic community primarily located in Chad and Niger. This annual...