On March 7, 2025, M-PESA, the revolutionary mobile money platform from Safaricom, celebrated 18 years of transforming financial services across Africa and beyond. Since its inception in 2007, M-PESA has not only changed how people send and receive money—it has redefined financial inclusion.
Now serving over 70 million customers across more than 170 countries, and powering transactions in Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Mozambique, DRC, Lesotho, Ghana, and Egypt, M-PESA is a true pan-African fintech success story.
🚀 From Mobile Wallet to Digital Powerhouse
Initially launched as a simple money transfer tool, M-PESA has evolved into Africa’s largest fintech solution, currently handling:
- 100 million transactions per day
- Over 4,000 transactions per second
- Serving 1 million+ agents and businesses
- Supporting 55,000 integrations via its Daraja API platform
This impressive growth has enabled a new wave of digital services, including mini-apps and storefronts for businesses via the M-PESA Super App and M-PESA Business App.
đź’ˇ Introducing Ziidi: A Smarter Way to Invest
As part of the 18-year celebration, Safaricom launched Ziidi, an investment platform designed to give users a simple and smart way to grow wealth. Key features include:
- Ziidi Money Market Fund, which has already gained 1 million opt-ins
- Upcoming Shariah-compliant investment products
- Full integration into the M-PESA ecosystem for ease and accessibility
Safaricom CEO Dr. Peter Ndegwa emphasized that with growing smartphone penetration and mobile internet across Africa, M-PESA is now positioning itself as a comprehensive digital financial services provider.
“In the last 18 years, M-PESA has transformed the lives of millions… We are transitioning to be a digital financial services provider connecting customers and businesses to opportunities,” – Dr. Peter Ndegwa
🤝 A Year-Long Celebration with the Ecosystem
Safaricom has kicked off a country-wide engagement campaign to mark this milestone. The campaign includes:
- Rewards and giveaways for loyal customers and partners
- Community outreach initiatives
- Events involving investors, developers, regulators, and the media
“M-PESA’s future success will be based on its seamless integration with other services… It represents the future of mobile financial services across the continent,” – Esther Waititu, Chief Financial Services Officer, Safaricom
🌍 What’s Next for M-PESA?
With Safaricom turning 25 this year and M-PESA evolving rapidly, the brand is betting big on:
- Expanding across Africa and new global markets
- Growing its investment and lending product portfolio
- Creating a secure, stable, and user-friendly digital financial ecosystem
Leaf Media House celebrates M-PESA’s remarkable 18-year journey and looks forward to covering more milestones as it continues to lead Africa’s digital finance revolution.
Got a memory with M-PESA? Drop it in the comments and let’s celebrate the innovation that connected us all.
