Safaricom PLC has confirmed the full restoration of M-Pesa services following a planned system upgrade carried out early Monday morning. The maintenance exercise, which ran from 12:30 am to 3:30 am on September 22, temporarily disrupted all M-Pesa services, including airtime purchases.
In an official statement, Safaricom assured customers that the mobile money platform is now fully operational. “We look forward to serving you better and providing you with seamless experiences,” the telco said. The company explained that the timing of the upgrade was carefully selected to minimise inconvenience for customers and expressed gratitude for their continued support.
M-Pesa, which marked 18 years since its launch earlier this year, has grown into one of Africa’s most influential financial services. The platform serves over 70 million customers across more than 170 countries, offering a wide range of digital financial solutions.
In Kenya alone, M-Pesa has transformed financial inclusion. Since its introduction, it has empowered over 32.1 million Kenyans to transact, save, and borrow via mobile phones. The service has helped raise financial inclusion from 26.7% in 2006 to 83.7% in 2021. By 2024, M-Pesa had generated more than Sh139.9 billion in revenue, further solidifying its role as a key driver of Kenya’s digital economy.
Beyond individual users, M-Pesa also supports over one million businesses and agents across Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Mozambique, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho, Ghana, and Egypt. Its impact on business and commerce has been instrumental in boosting trade and financial accessibility across the region.
Safaricom’s successful system upgrade underscores its commitment to delivering reliable and transformative financial services. Customers can now enjoy uninterrupted access to all M-Pesa functionalities, ensuring smooth transactions and continued growth of Kenya’s mobile money ecosystem.
