Uber and Safaricom have launched a new partnership in Kenya, allowing riders to pay for trips using M-PESA.
This collaboration builds upon their previous partnership with UberEats, which enabled consumers to pay for deliveries through M-PESA and allowed delivery people to receive their earnings via the mobile money platform.
This partnership is particularly beneficial for drivers without bank accounts, as Uber’s data indicates that around 20% of their drivers in Kenya lack access to traditional banking services.
By integrating M-PESA for trip payments, Uber aims to enhance the convenience and accessibility of digital transactions for riders on their platform.
Imran Manji, Head of East Africa at Uber, expressed excitement about the partnership with Safaricom, emphasizing the positive impact on financial inclusion in the country.
Kui Mbugua, General Manager of UberEats in Kenya, also shared her perspective on the partnership with Safaricom. She highlighted how the collaboration improves the experience for delivery people and customers on their platform by providing easy access to earnings and offering a convenient mode of payment for deliveries, respectively.
“Safaricom’s impressive track record with M-PESA is worth noting, as the company processed a staggering 6.4 billion payments through the mobile money service in the last financial year. Additionally, data from the Central Bank of Kenya revealed that M-PESA is the preferred method for cashless payments in the country, with 70 million total card payments during the same period.”
Peter Ndegwa, CEO of Safaricom, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership with Uber, emphasizing its potential to provide thousands of drivers and delivery people, as well as millions of customers, with a fully digital solution for faster, secure, affordable, and convenient payments through M-PESA.
“This collaboration aligns with Safaricom’s commitment to transforming lives by delivering more value and opportunities to their customers,” he said.