Safaricom Secures Visa Payment Facilitator Certificate Expanding Its Merchant Payment Options

Kenya's leading mobile network operator, Safaricom, has achieved a significant milestone by securing a Payment Facilitator Certificate from global payments company Visa. This new certification is expected to enhance Safaricom's merchant ecosystem by broadening its payment acceptance options, including card payments that support all major networks through Visa's CyberSource Payment Gateway.

This move is part of a broader multi-year collaboration between Safaricom and Visa, which began in June 2022 with the introduction of the M-PESA GlobalPay Visa Virtual Card. Accessible through the M-PESA app or via USSD code, this virtual card allowed customers to make cashless payments across Visa's global merchant network while also providing a way to track M-PESA balances.

In December 2023, the partnership expanded further with the launch of tap-to-pay card payments, giving M-PESA users more flexibility to make both mobile and in-person payments. Visa confirmed that the collaboration with Safaricom will continue to evolve, aiming to bring innovative payment solutions to the market.

Source: Ifeoma Joy Okorie / TechPoint Africa