Tag Archive for: kenya

Andrew Stegmann

Safaricom Launches Lipa Na M-Pesa Business App for Kenyan Market

Safaricom has announced a Lipa Na M-PESA Business smartphone app for the more than 170,000 merchants on the service.

Named “M-PESA for Business“, it will empower business owners to access real-time statements, export statements, and track their business performance on the go.

Through the app, business owners can further withdraw funds from Lipa Na M-PESA to their M-PESA accounts, bank accounts or at an agent. Business owners with a business till can now also send money to other M-PESA customers such as to pay wages, pay for supplies, and make payments to other businesses all through the app.

“At Safaricom, we are taking a focus on the needs of small and medium businesses to provide them with suitable technology solutions to help them grow. The M-PESA for Business smartphone App is one such solution. It empowers more than 170,000 businesses across Kenya to send money and make payments and provides them with simple and detailed reports from the convenience of the mobile phone,” said Peter Ndegwa, CEO, Safaricom.

In addition to making transactions from their Lipa Na M-PESA tills, the app will offer additional management features such as an overview of different tills for business owners with multiple outlets and till usage management. The app is also packed with rich, detailed reports including money-in and money-out charts, store overview and frequently used Lipa Na M-PESA Tills and PayBills.

The “M-PESA for Business” App is immediately available from the Android Google Play store and the iOS App store and complements the *234# menu which has been providing Lipa Na M-PESA merchants with the ability to manage their till and to make transactions. It is designed to take advantage of unique smartphone capabilities to provide businesses with powerful, additional features and a digital, modern way to use the service.

Safaricom has also rolled out a portal where any business across the Kenya can now apply online for a Lipa Na M-PESA Till. The “M-PESA for Business” app will be immediately available to these businesses once their application is processed and a Till Number allocated.

For information as to how Relocation Africa can help you with your Mobility, Immigration, Research, Remuneration, and Expat Tax needs, email info@relocationafrica.com, or call us on +27 21 763 4240.

Sources: [1], [2]. Image sources: [1], [2].

Andrew Stegmann

Simplified Mobile Money Services with Tigo Tanzania Across the East Africa Region

Tigo Pesa customers can now send and receive money from M-PESA in Kenya, MTN in Uganda, Airtel and MTN in Rwanda.

Tanzania’s leading digital lifestyle company, Tigo Tanzania (Tigo.co.tz), launched a service that allows all Tigo Pesa customers to send and receive cash  on  their mobile money wallets  from M-PESA in Kenya, MTN in Uganda and MTN and Airtel in Rwanda.

The service now ensures that Tigo Pesa customers are connected to all major mobile money serivces across the East African region a move that will grow transactions for cross-border remittance users.

This new service between the 4 countries further cements how Tigo adapts to its customers’ needs with digital solutions and it also means that the benefits of mobile money can be extended to cross-border trade, allowing businesses and families to transfer money quickly and securely in East Africa. This partnership further cements our position as a provider of choice for Mobile financial services and we believe this venture will increase the number of transactions for cross-border remittance users.

Tigo Tanzania’s Acting Chief Officer for Mobile Financial Services (MFS) Angelica Pesha

“To send money to the different services, Tigo Pesa customers can dial *150*01# on their mobile phones, select send money, send out of the country,select either Kenya,Uganda or Rwanda.” Explained Pesha.

MTN Uganda has been at the forefront of financial innovation pioneering in the delivery of a wide range of financial services such as micro savings, loans, insurance and merchant payments through MoMoPay.

To be able to make our wide network available to customers across the East African region, this is testimony to our continued drive to extend affordable, reliable, secure financial services to not only our customers in Uganda, but to all people in the region.

Stephen Mutana MTN Uganda General Manager Mobile Financial Services

“As Mobile Money is becoming borderless, this partnership with Tigo Tanzania is part of our commitment to offer our customers within the East African Community; an option to transfer funds to their friends, families and business partners using their Airtel Money Wallets.

While receiving Money from Tigo Tanzania is free, to send Money to Tigo Tanzania, Airtel Money customer dials *500*1*3# and follows the prompts ” said Jidia Gasana from Airtel Rwanda

This partnership between Safaricom, MTN, Airtel and Tigo Tanzania will enable us meet the growing demand for cross border transactions within East Africa. M-PESA has been the preferred International Money Transfer choice for many Kenyans who find the service fast, safe, affordable and convenient.

To send money to the different services, M-PESA customers can dial *840# on their mobile phones or through mySafaricom App by selecting the “M-PESA Global” option under “M-PESA” then selecting “Send”. 

For information as to how Relocation Africa can help you with your Mobility, Immigration, Research, Remuneration, and Expat Tax needs, email info@relocationafrica.com, or call us on +27 21 763 4240.

Sources: [1], [2]. Image sources: [1], [2].

Andrew Stegmann

Kenyan Closures of Government Offices and Registries: COVID-19 Update

Following President Kenyatta’s directives on Sunday 15 March 2020 on the coronavirus (COVID-19) interventions, a number of the Government offices and registries have scaled down their operations and in some cases completely shut down.

Please see a high level summary below, courtesy of DLA Piper Africa, IKM Advocates.

Land Offices and Registries

Directorate of Immigration Services (DIS)

Business Registration Service

To read President Kenyatta’s March 15th speech, click here.

For information as to how Relocation Africa can help you with your Mobility, Immigration, Research, Remuneration, and Expat Tax needs, email info@relocationafrica.com, or call us on +27 21 763 4240.
Sources: [1], [2]. Image sources: [1], [2].

Andrew Stegmann

TradeMark East Africa and Mombasa County Ink $2.7 Million Financing Deal for Critical Kenyan Road

TradeMark East Africa (TMEA) and the Mombasa County Government have inked a $2.7 million financing deal towards construction of the Mbaraki-Nyerere Road.

The amount will cover design, building and supervision consultancy for the project. TMEA will provide US$2.3 million for the project.

The funding is provided through TMEA donors, with the UK Department for International Development (DFID) contributing US$ 1.7 million while Denmark’s development co-operation agency (DANIDA) contributing US$ 0.5 million. The Mombasa County Government will fund the balance amounting to US$ 0.4 million.

The project is expected to unclog the Mbaraki Wharf region and the adjacent Likoni Ferry area, which suffer frequent traffic snarl ups as a result of cargo trucks offloading cargo from oil tankers and clinker ships.

The project scope will entail tarmacking the 1.2 kilometer road, constructing a parking bay for trucks waiting to collect cargo at the oil terminal, paths for non-motorized transport, proper road drainage systems and a road solar lighting component.

The Mbaraki-Nyerere Road Project has been hailed as a ‘Green-Road Project’ by transport experts, due to the significant reduction of the carbon footprint anticipated. Speaking during the deal signing ceremony Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho noted that the project would greatly improve traffic flow in the region.

‘As a government we are committed to improving both the lives and business competitiveness of Mombasa. This project is going to tackle congestion in a short yet extremely critical and busy section of Mombasa. We are grateful for the strong support by TradeMark East Africa and its partners in this project and look forward to the project’s ground-breaking’ said Joho.

On his part, TMEA Country Director Ahmed Farah explained that the project is expected to enhance service delivery to the residents of Mombasa, tourists and most importantly the business community especially while evacuating cargo from the port of Mombasa.

‘By modernizing this road, cargo will leave the port faster, translating into reduced transport costs and ultimately reduced cost of business in one of the leading ports in the region. Further, by providing a safe and adequate parking bay for trucks in the area, we will eliminate roadside parking, which itself contributes to traffic congestion’ noted TMEA Country Director Ahmed Farah.

Head of UKs Department for International Development in Kenya, Julius Court said: “The UK Government is committed to supporting Kenya’s economic growth and this includes good infrastructure which not only provides access to basic services but also creates jobs and boosts business. Our support to this road will complement existing projects that the UK Government is funding through UK Aid and benefiting the population of Mombasa.”

Mette Knudsen, Ambassador of Denmark to Kenya said: “By combining trade facilitation with a reduction of the carbon footprint this ´Green-Road Project’ is both innovative and very important for DANIDA as well as an inspiration for the continued collaboration between Kenya and Denmark.”

Following the financing agreement signing ceremony today, design works are expected to be completed by early 2020, paving way for ground-breaking in March 2020. A construction period of 10 months is envisioned.

Over the next few days there will conclusion of the formation of KPA and Mombasa County joint technical committee to spearhead partnership and collaboration that will pave way for the two entities move this port City to new heights of global competitiveness and make Mombasa a World class Port City it ought to be.

 

For information as to how Relocation Africa can help you with your Mobility, Immigration, Research, Remuneration, and Expat Tax needs, email info@relocationafrica.com, or call us on +27 21 763 4240.

Sources: [1], [2]. Image sources: [1], [2].