Safaricom tests M-Pesa payment cards on students

Safaricom has started trials for its Lipa Na M-Pesa payments card which allows customers to pay bills via 'tap and go technology' using cash in their mobile money wallets. The card is undergoing a pilot phase amongst its staff, allowing them to make payments at select merchants, with plans to extend the service to university students.

“As the M-Pesa ecosystem continues to expand, we continue to test the boundaries of the service to identify how we can continue to extend the gains of the platform to an increasing number of customers and businesses,” Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore in a statement yesterday. Payments made through Lipa Na M-Pesa had hit Sh20 billion year to March, Safaricom said, with more than 44,000 merchants accepting the service, an increase of 74 per cent from the previous year.

Shifting consumer trends have seen services like debit cards and Lipa Na M-PESA thrive as consumers embrace more efficient, cashless means of paying for goods and services.

SOURCE:THE STAR