M-PESA Ethiopia Posts 175% Surge in Active Users, Expands National Digital Ecosystem
M-PESA Ethiopia has reported exceptional performance over the past six months, marking a 174.8% year-on-year growth with 3.4 million active customers transacting within a 90-day period. The mobile financial platform processed 12.3 billion Birr in transactions, underscoring its growing influence in Ethiopia’s digital payments landscape.
The company has also broadened its merchant base to over 30,700 active businesses, including 316 fuel stations nationwide now accepting M-PESA payments. With a maximum transaction fee capped at just 5 Birr, M-PESA remains one of the most affordable digital finance solutions in the country, positioning itself as a key player in advancing financial inclusion.
Expanding Access Through Innovation
During the reporting period, M-PESA Ethiopia introduced Errif by M-PESA, a digital microloan and equb (rotating savings group) platform designed to provide users with small, flexible loans and community-based savings options. The service aims to bridge financial gaps and empower unbanked and underbanked Ethiopians.
M-PESA also completed its integration with EthSwitch, the national payment network, allowing users to make QR-based merchant payments and enabling interoperability with all connected banks and financial institutions. This strategic move marks a major step toward a unified, cash-lite payment ecosystem in Ethiopia.
Building a Comprehensive Digital Experience
The M-PESA Super App continues to drive convenience with 28 mini-apps and five charity donation platforms, consolidating a wide array of financial and lifestyle services in one place. Users can send and receive money (P2P and P2B), buy airtime and data, pay utility bills and airline tickets, shop with merchants, receive international remittances, and deposit or withdraw cash seamlessly.
Powering Ethiopia’s Digital Future
Beyond consumer services, M-PESA Ethiopia is strengthening its innovation pipeline through its Developers Portal, which offers startups, developers, and businesses open APIs, documentation, and sandbox environments to integrate and test payment solutions rapidly. This initiative aligns with Safaricom Ethiopia’s broader strategy to foster a vibrant fintech ecosystem.
“At M-PESA Ethiopia, we are proudly building within Ethiopia’s evolving digital and fintech ecosystem,” said Elsa Muzzolini, CEO of M-PESA Ethiopia. “Our goal is to create a financial system that is accessible, inclusive, and empowering for every Ethiopian—designed to give people freedom, choice, and confidence in managing their money.”
As M-PESA Ethiopia continues its rapid growth trajectory, its blend of affordability, accessibility, and innovation is positioning it as a cornerstone of the country’s digital transformation and financial inclusion agenda.
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