Kenyan operator Safaricom’s M-Pesa mobile money service has teamed up with Kenyan start-up tappi to digitise 650,000 business users in the country.
Described as a full digital commerce SaaS solution for small and medium-sized businesses, tappi helps small businesses grow by connecting them with customers and establishing online credibility through user reviews.
The partners say this alliance will deliver digital solutions to help these SMEs improve their online credibility and visibility.
The agreement also underlines M-Pesa efforts to broaden its portfolio of services for 650,000 registered businesses and over 50 million monthly active individual users in many African countries.
As one of the first mini apps to feature on the M-Pesa for Business service, tappi will be able to deliver a subsidised package equipping merchants to build their online presence, capture verified reviews and strengthen engagement with an expanded customer base.
As Kenfield Griffith, CEO and co-founder of tappi, points out, with over 35 million subscribers, M-Pesa has long established itself as the engine through which millions of local entrepreneurs handle their transactions. He adds: “With many of these businesses constantly looking for new customers, our tools will be a crucial springboard in driving them to achieve this within an online setting.”
For a nominal sum, merchants will receive access to a free webpage and 50 SMS/WhatsApp reviews, which will be integrated into the merchant’s websites, as well as 250 bulk SMS marketing credits.
As part of the collaboration, M-Peta Ratiba, a new solution allowing M-Pesa users to automate their online payments, has also been included in the tappi mini app, enabling business owners to seamlessly pay their monthly subscriptions without disruptions.
Targeted to reach at least 300,000 M-Pesa for Business app users, the partnership has officially launched with an initial cohort of over 250 M-Pesa For Business app users across the food, fashion, health and beauty sectors throughout Kenya.
tappi’s solutions will build on the M-Pesa For Business app’s existing functionalities, which include viewing collections, statements and payments as well as transacting directly from the M-Pesa till number.
In May 2024, tappi signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry to drive digital services for 30,000 Kenyan MSMEs. The company has also partnered with MTN in Cote d’Ivoire and Nigeria.
