Safaricom has officially lowered Safaricom M-PESA fees, expanded data bundles, and boosted fibre speeds under its Pata More initiative to drive digital payments and connectivity in Kenya.
The changes, which take effect from 7 August, are designed to make digital payments more affordable, improve connectivity, and encourage greater adoption of Safaricom's integrated ecosystem of financial and telecommunications services.
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Understanding Reduced Safaricom M-PESA Fees
One of the most significant updates is the increase in the fee-free threshold for Lipa na M-PESA Buy Goods transactions. Customers making purchases of up to KES 500 will now pay no transaction fees, up from the previous threshold of KES 200.
The move is expected to encourage more consumers to use digital payments for everyday purchases while helping small merchants reduce the cost of accepting electronic payments.
Businesses are also set to benefit. Safaricom has reduced by approximately 50% the charges for transferring funds from Buy Goods tills to M-PESA wallets and PayBill accounts, making it cheaper for merchants to access working capital and manage daily cash flow.
The company has also introduced improvements to Pochi la Biashara, its digital wallet designed for informal traders and micro-businesses.
Under the revised pricing structure, the fee-free transaction limit has doubled from KES 100 to KES 200. For the next 90 days, transaction charges on higher-value Pochi la Biashara payments will be capped at KES 50, providing additional cost savings for small businesses and entrepreneurs.
Expanded Data Bundles and Fibre Speed
Alongside the payment changes, Safaricom has expanded several of its popular mobile data bundles without increasing prices. The KES 20 daily bundle now offers 250MB, up from 150MB, while the KES 99 package has increased from 1GB to 1.5GB.
Customers subscribing to the KES 1,000 monthly bundle will receive 21.5GB, more than doubling the previous 10GB allocation. This change delivers significantly greater value for heavy data users.
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The upgrades come as demand for video streaming, social media, online education, remote work, and AI-powered digital services continues to grow across Kenya.
Safaricom is also improving its home broadband offering by increasing fibre internet speeds by up to 2.5 times. This enables households and businesses to enjoy faster and more reliable internet connectivity.
Deepening the Digital Ecosystem
It is also expanding the capabilities of My OneApp, bringing together M-PESA, mobile services, home fibre management, and customer support into a single digital platform. This integration ensures a more seamless user experience.
The latest enhancements form part of Safaricom's broader strategy to deepen customer engagement across its digital ecosystem. They do this by increasing the value of its financial and connectivity services.
The company continues to dominate Kenya's mobile money market. As of March 2026, M-PESA accounted for 89.1% of the country's mobile money market share.
Its growing importance is reflected in recent financial results. During the financial year ended March 2026, M-PESA Kadogo processed 17.1 billion transactions, representing 58% of all transactions conducted on the M-PESA platform.
Why It Matters to Africa
Safaricom's latest Pata More enhancements demonstrate how Africa's leading telecom operators are evolving into full-service digital platforms. These platforms combine payments, connectivity, and financial services to deepen customer engagement.
By eliminating transaction fees for more everyday payments and reducing costs for merchants, the company is making digital commerce more affordable. This is a critical enabler for informal commerce across the continent.
The expansion of mobile data bundles and faster fibre broadband also supports Africa's growing digital economy. Affordable internet access is becoming increasingly important as businesses adopt cloud services and AI-powered tools.
For policymakers and telecom operators, this strategy highlights how bundled services can accelerate digital adoption. Integrated ecosystems are likely to become a defining feature of the continent's next phase of digital transformation.
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