M-PESA Celebrates 19th Anniversary with 40 Million Monthly Users in Kenya
On 6 March 2026, M-PESA marked a historic milestone by reaching 40 million active monthly customers, as it celebrated its 19th anniversary.
M-PESA was launched in 2007 by Safaricom and Vodafone to provide mobile financial services, primarily for unbanked, low-income people in Kenya. Originally a DfID-funded pilot aimed at improving microfinance efficiency, it quickly expanded to include safe peer-to-peer money transfers. Its key goals were to offer financial access without traditional banks, enable microfinance loan repayments, reduce reliance on cash, and leverage widespread mobile phone use.
Although initially designed for microfinance, the platform has evolved from a basic person-to-person money transfer service into a comprehensive financial partner deeply embedded in Kenyans’ daily lives. It now offers investment and wealth management through Ziidi MMF, Ziidi Trader, credit services like Fuliza and KCB M-PESA, and business solutions such as Lipa na M-PESA, Pochi la Biashara, and Global Pay. Since its inception, M-PESA has expanded to countries including Tanzania, Mozambique, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Lesotho, Ghana, Egypt, Afghanistan, South Africa, and Ethiopia.
As part of the Fintech 2.0 initiative, these innovative developments and technological advancements have significantly lowered barriers to wealth-building opportunities. By providing accessible digital tools and user-friendly platforms, they empower a broader population to save, invest, and achieve financial stability and growth, making it easier for more people, regardless of their socio-economic background, to plan for their long-term financial health.
Read Also: Vodacom to Acquire Majority Stake in Safaricom in Landmark Deal
A key pillar of long-term financial wellness is ensuring a safe and secure environment. Over the past year, M-PESA has made significant investments in advanced technology, enhanced fraud prevention systems, and customer education initiatives to safeguard users’ funds and personal data. These efforts aim to keep customers confident and secure as the digital financial landscape grows more complex. To further strengthen trust and security, M-PESA is introducing a new privacy feature set to launch by the end of March 2026.
This update will limit the personal information visible to recipients during “Send Money” transactions, with recipients able to request full sender details within 24 hours if needed. The sender must explicitly approve this request via a prompt, if declined or ignored for two hours, the information remains private. This feature will be implemented across the entire M-PESA ecosystem, reinforcing the company’s commitment to building a safer, more trusted digital financial environment that protects customer data while enabling seamless, confident transactions.
This growth reflects a continued commitment to enhancing financial wellness through inclusive and secure digital services. Dr. Peter Ndegwa, Group Chief Executive Officer at Safaricom PLC, said: “Our goal is to give Kenyans, and Africa at large, digital financial tools to empower them to be more prosperous. Reaching 40 million monthly active customers in Kenya is a milestone we celebrate, as we recommit to enabling every Kenyan to transact safely, grow their savings, and build their wealth. To us, every M-PESA transaction tells a story of someone building their future. We remain committed to building a safer, more trusted digital financial system that continues to meet all our customer’s needs.”
