M-Pesa users will no longer be able to send money to unregistered numbers in a new communication from Kenya’s telecommunications giant, Safaricom in a move to “drive financial inclusion and ensure that no one, no matter the network, is left behind.”
Safaricom, in a statement released on Saturday, “Effective February 5th, 2024, you will no longer be able to send money from M-PESA to unregistered mobile money customers.”
The company however noted that registered users will continue enjoying all services such as sending to and receiving cash from varied mobile money providers.
“As a registered mobile money customer, you will be able to send and receive money across different mobile money providers such as Airtel and T-Kash,” read the statement.
This comes when the Telco is making moves in Ethiopia by setting up the innovative Mpesa services in the Country
All Safaricom Ethiopia customers are eligible for the services offered by M-PESA and can dial *733# on their Safaricom line both for android and IOS. The app is currently ready in 5 languages for android devices and available on play store; and will be available for IOS devices in the coming weeks.
Using M-PESA, customers can send money within the country and receive money from within the country and abroad, pay to merchants, buy airtime, transfer to their bank accounts, and send money from their bank accounts to their M-PESA.
In preparation for launch, M-PESA has undergone a rigorous three-month pilot and testing, completed the technical readiness, secured key partnerships with Banks, recruited, trained, and onboarded M-PESA agents to see its effectiveness