Safaricom’s mobile financial service, M-PESA, is celebrating 18 years since its launch in March 2007. Today, it serves over 70 million customers in more than 170 countries. The service has expanded across Africa, including Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Mozambique, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho, Ghana, and Egypt. It has over one million businesses and agents.
The service supports 55,000 integrations on its Daraja platform, which hosts more than 100,000 developers. It processes nearly 100 million transactions daily with a capacity of 4,000 transactions per second. This makes it Africa’s largest fintech solution. Its success is driven by accessibility, security, and ease of use. It allows millions to perform instant financial transactions via mobile phones.
To mark its 18th anniversary, it has launched a nationwide campaign engaging customers, investors, businesses, regulators, and the media. This initiative reassures customers of Safaricom’s commitment to providing a secure and seamless financial ecosystem.
Ziidi Money Market Fund
Dr. Peter Ndegwa, Safaricom’s CEO, highlighted how M-PESA has transformed financial services, empowering users with affordable solutions. As smartphone adoption and broadband access increase, M-PESA is evolving into a full-fledged digital financial services provider. In 2021, it introduced the M-PESA Super App and M-PESA Business App. These apps have enabled businesses to create virtual storefronts and offer services online.
Over the years, M-PESA has played a key role in financial inclusion, contributing to economic development. As part of its celebrations. Safaricom launched the Ziidi Investment Platform, including the Ziidi Money Market Fund, which already has over one million opt-ins. It plans to introduce Shariah-compliant investment options to help customers grow their wealth.
As the platform continues to innovate and expand. It looks forward to many more years of growth, offering new solutions to customers and businesses across Africa.
