MPESA goes regional

Safaricom’s M-PESA customers will be able to send and receive money from Tanzania, in a move that is aimed at deepening financial inclusion and give a further boost to the regional integration agenda.

Safaricom has partnered with Tanzanian mobile service operator Vodacom to enable seamless transactions between Kenya’s nearly 20 million M-PESA customers and Tanzania’s 7 million M-PESA customers.

“This is a new chapter in the continuing growth story of M-PESA. Enabling transactions between Kenya and Tanzania will make more convenient for individuals to transact across borders and unleash the transformative power of a first of its kind cross-border payment system,” said Safaricom’s CEO Bob Collymore.

“The partnership will begin the journey for our over 7 Vodacom subscribers to send money to M-PESA subscribers and vice versa using the service and boost the volume of transactions and trade between the two countries,” said Rene Meza, CEO, Vodacom Tanzania.

With presence in 10 countries; Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Lesotho, DRC, Egypt, Mozambique, India, Romania, and Fiji, M-PESA has emerged as the most compelling mobile-money proposition catering for both individual and corporate transactions.