Safaricom M-PESA Partners with Tappi to Digitize 650,000 SMEs in Kenya

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Safaricom M-PESA has teamed up with Kenyan start-up, Tappi, in a landmark partnership aimed at digitizing 650,000 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across the country. The collaboration seeks to empower SMEs by providing them with affordable digital solutions to enhance their online presence and credibility, further integrating them into Kenya’s fast-growing digital economy.

Tappi is a digital commerce Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solution designed specifically for SMEs. The platform helps small businesses grow by connecting them with customers and enhancing their online credibility through user reviews. Over the past year, Tappi has gained significant traction in the digital commerce space, and this partnership with Safaricom’s M-PESA is seen as the next step in its rapid expansion.

In a joint press release, both companies outlined their mission to offer digital solutions that help SMEs improve their visibility online. This collaboration also marks Safaricom’s continuing efforts to broaden its range of services for the 650,000 registered businesses and more than 50 million monthly active M-PESA users across Africa.

As part of the partnership, Kenyan merchants will receive an affordable package for approximately $11. The package includes a free webpage, 50 SMS or WhatsApp reviews integrated into the merchant’s website, and 250 bulk SMS marketing credits. These features are designed to enhance merchants’ ability to connect with customers and boost their online engagement.

Tappi will be one of the first mini-apps featured on the M-PESA for Business platform. Tappi, through the app, will offer a subsidized package that will allow merchants to build a stronger online presence, collect verified reviews, and engage more effectively with an expanding customer base.

Read: Safaricom Rolls Out M-PESA Ratiba: A Standing Order Feature for M-PESA Users

Kenfield Griffith, CEO and Co-Founder of Tappi, highlighted the importance of the partnership.

“This partnership is a significant milestone for tappi and a huge endorsement of the value Safaricom and tappi look to generate for MSMEs across Kenya. With over 35mn subscribers, M-PESA has long established itself as the engine through which millions of local entrepreneurs handle their transactions, and 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.”

Safaricom’s CEO, Peter Ndegwa, expressed his excitement about the collaboration. “We are happy to onboard tappi as our first mini-app partner on the M-PESA Business app. This partnership seeks to empower our merchants with affordable and innovative tools and capabilities to grow their businesses. We look forward to driving financial inclusion through building the capacities of small and medium sized businesses, enhancing customer experience thus contributing to the Kenyan economy.”

The partnership launched with an initial cohort of over 250 SMEs using the M-PESA for Business app, spanning sectors such as food, fashion, health, and beauty. The goal is to reach at least 300,000 users of the platform. Tappi’s digital tools will complement M-PESA’s existing functionalities, which include viewing collections, payments, and statements, as well as transacting directly from M-PESA till numbers.