Kenya has built an economy around mobile money and for good reason. M-Pesa alone touches tens of millions of lives daily, making mobile wallets a critical lifeline for both consumers and businesses.
Traditional card-based systems, however robust in other markets, often fail to address these local realities. Businesses that ignore mobile money risk losing sales or frustrating their customers.
Connectivity is another persistent challenge. From roadside kiosks to small retail shops, many businesses operate where internet access is patchy or unreliable. A payments system that depends on a constant connection isn’t just inconvenient, it’s unusable.
Off-line capable solutions, where transactions are captured locally and reconciled once connectivity returns are essential.
Beyond connectivity, markets demand simplicity and clarity. SMS notifications, OTP confirmations and basic messaging remain the lowest common denominator for reaching customers.
They expect instant confirmation that their payments went through and businesses expect a system that reduces reconciliation headaches and speeds operations.
But payment systems in Africa aren’t just about technology, they’re about trust.
Customers want assurance that their money is handled securely, while businesses want systems that don’t leave them second guessing whether a transaction truly went through.
Building trust requires consistency; consistent uptime, consistent settlement cycles, consistent user experiences.
Without that reliability, even the most sophisticated platform will struggle to earn loyalty in a market that still keeps one foot in cash. And then there’s scale.
As Kenyan businesses increasingly expand into regional markets such as Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Zambia the payment challenges multiply. Each country has its own mobile money ecosystem, its own regulatory landscape and its own consumer behaviours.
A Kenyan company operating across borders cannot afford to juggle fragmented systems for every territory. They need are platforms and service providers that would ensure seamless experience in cross border transactions by integrating local mobile money rails and accommodating multi-country operations.
For businesses navigating Kenya’s diverse payment landscape, the lesson is simple; technology must meet users where they are, not where we imagine them to be.
And when it does, both businesses and consumers win.
Improved payment infrastructure helps businesses to access new international markets and facilitates critical transactions.
Maurice Bisungo is Key Account Manager of Avadapay, a global pan-african fintech payment platform
