MPESA option now available on Aliexpress App

Shopping online can seem like a daunting task to some people, especially considering the  limited payment options and security issues that bog online transactions. Alibaba-owned e-commerce platform, AliExpress, has slowly but steadily gained popularity in Kenya as the platform opens up the Chinese vast goods market to Kenyans. International shopping in Kenya has mainly relied on third-party services such a Vitumob or Something Random, that aim to connect locals to the well-established platforms like Amazon but recently we have seen these shopping websites make an effort to directly reach their…

Africa’s mobile money platform Mpesa expands to Europe

Editor’s note: Tomorrow Transformed explores innovative approaches and opportunities available in business and society through technology. (CNN) — Snapchat may be the latest application with a new mobilepayment feature launched this week, but the idea that made Snapcash possible was spawned more than seven years ago in Africa. When M-Pesa came on the scene in 2007 — a money transfer system devised by Vodafone and Kenya-based Safaricom – it sparked a mini-revolution. With the touch of a button, relatives in Nairobi could transfer cash instantly to their remote up-country families…

African Mobile Money platform Mpesa adopted in Europe

Vodafone brings Africa’s M-Pesa mobile money to Europe * Launch targets 7 mln in Romania who mainly use cash * M-Pesa has 16.8 mln active customers in emerging markets * Mobile payments expected to grow rapidly in coming years By Kate Holton LONDON, March 31 (Reuters) – Vodafone brought the mobile money service that has revolutionised banking in Africa to Romania on Monday, offering M-Pesa text-message transactions to millions of customers in its first push into Europe. Vodafone said it had chosen Romania to target the seven million people there…

IMF Delays $238 Million Loan for Kenya

IMF

IMF Delays $238 Million Loan for Kenya  Kenya may need to find alternative sources to finance its current budget due to a delay by IMF [International Monetary Fund] in issuing it a 28 billion shilling loan ($238 million). Kenya included loan funds in the current fiscal year’s budget. Delay may see the nation seeking alternative budget financing. The funding is part of a $2.34 billion extended credit facility and extended fund facility that was agreed to by the IMF more than a year ago for budget support. The loan needs board approval…

Safaricom and Visa launch M-Pesa Global Pay Visa Virtual Card

Safaricom and Visa launch M-Pesa Global Pay Visa Virtual Card Safaricom has entered an agreement with Visa to form M-Pesa GlobalPay Visa Virtual card which will see the mobile phone-based money transfer service transact in 200 countries. This will allow customers to transact up to Sh150,000 ($1,28370) per payment and Sh300,000 ($2,567.3) per day. The deal is expected to shore Safaricom’s earnings from the mobile money services at a time M-Pesa revenues have been growing steadily. “By partnering with Visa to provide the M-Pesa GlobalPay Visa virtual card, we are…

Free calls and data as Safaricom turns 20

Free calls and data as Safaricom turns 20 Telecommunication giant Safaricom has announced to give away free calls and data for its loyal customers at its Safaricom 20 birthday celebrations at the Serena Hotel, Nairobi. Safaricom which enjoys about 35 million subscribers in Kenya said all its customers will be enjoying free calls of up to 20 minutes within the next 30 days as they celebrate 20 years of service. Ndegwa said, “Each customer will receive a notification a day before to alert them of their free calls. Customers who…

Digital WhatsApp Payments for SMEs launched, Pilots in Brazil

Digital WhatsApp Payments for SMEs launched, Pilots in Brazil

Facebook has launched its WhatsApp payments service in Brazil, enabling people to send money and make purchases from within the chat app. You use it by linking up your WhatsApp account to your Visa or Mastercard credit or debit card. This now adds Facebook as one of the digital payments and mobile money providers like Mpesa WhatsApp began testing P2P payments in India in 2018 but Brazil, where the messaging service has 120 million users, becomes the first country to get a nationwide rollout. Brazil would be the first to…

First African video conferencing system Gumzo unveiled in Kenya

Video Conferencing App Gumzo

Kenya’s Gaming tech start-up, Usiku Games, has launched the first-ever made-in-Africa video-conferencing application that offers users enjoy better quality calls with unlimited attendees, at more affordable prices. “Gumzo”, which means chatting in Swahili offers the service free for users to attend meetings, and only costs Sh100 per week for those who want to host their own meetings. Users are able to pay via Mpesa. The web-based Gumzo system is also one of the most secure platforms with all calls encrypted ensuring that users’ calls are private and protected. Eight weeks…

Pesapal starts Payment processing for low cost Kenyan Airlines

Pesapal has this year started processing payments for low cost carriers in Kenya. Jetways Airlines, Silverstone Air and Skyward Express will from now on use Pesapal’s integrated payment system to process Mpesa, Visa, mVisa, MasterCard and American Express payments on their respective websites. This not only gives travellers the freedom to pay conveniently for their flights but also makes it easier for airlines to track payments and traveller flight information. These airlines join African Express Airways in Kenya and Eagle Air in Uganda showing Pesapal’s growth as a payment processor…

Sky.Garden: Revolutionizing Kenya’s E-Commerce Sector

Upon noticing that the economic sector in Kenya only caters for the top tier in the economic pyramid which leaves little room for individuals and businesses that exist within the lower segments of the economy to reap the benefits of online transactions, Sky.Garden decided to come up with a sophisticated eCommerce platform that they can use to expand their geographical reach. ITBusinessDirect spoke to Isaac Hunja the Chief Marketing Officer about their work. How can you define the technology sector in Kenya? I would describe the technology sector in Kenya…