M-Pesa is a mobile phone-based money transfer service that has taken Kenya by storm recently. This guide will explain how to use M-Pesa to send money to Kenya and provide tips on getting the most out of this service.
Whether you send money to a loved one in Kenya or need to pay for something online, M-Pesa is a convenient and affordable way.
Withdrawals can be made from any Safaricom agent outlet in Kenya, making it easy to transfer your money and spend quickly. So what are you waiting for? Start using M-Pesa today!
As a Kenyan citizen, you can receive money from more than 45 countries worldwide using M-Pesa.
Using the M-Pesa international money transfer program, you can quickly collect and send money to several countries using your M-Pesa line.
This program has been there for quite a long time, since 2011, but many people seem not to know its existence.
M-PESA International Money Transfer is one of the easiest and quickest money transfer programs you can get today.
It takes a short time for money sent to a recipient to get to them. Ideally, it takes fewer than 5 minutes, equivalent to sending an SMS.
There has been a partnership between Western Union and Safaricom that resulted in the global expansion of their international mobile money transfer service.
Western Union and Safaricom previously offered the service between the UK and Kenya via 12,000 Western Union Agent locations and westernunion.co.uk.
The service allows people to send funds directly to Safaricom M-PESA subscribers in Kenya from over 80,000 Western Union Agent locations in 45 countries and territories.
How to Send Money to Kenya via Mpesa
This service will allow anyone in 45 countries and territories to visit a participating Western Union Agent location and send money to an M-PESA mobile phone in Kenya.
The transaction is similar to a traditional cash-to-cash money transfer, except the sender specifies the recipient’s mobile phone number when the funds are sent.
To access the service, recipients in Kenya must subscribe to the M-PESA service through Safaricom.
Check: M-Pesa Charges
Is it safe to send money to Kenya via M-PESA?
Money transferred to family or friends in Kenya via M-PESA is stored safely in a ring-fenced account, also known as a trust account.
This account is linked to the mobile phone of each customer. A central platform also securely tracks the value of an individual’s account.
That means the money will still be in their M-PESA account even if the phone or SIM card is lost.
Does the sender have to have a mobile phone?
The sender does not have to have a mobile phone, but they will need to provide a contact number in case of an issue with the transaction.
The sender will also be given a paper receipt from the Western Union Agent once the money is sent.
If the sender provides a valid mobile phone number, Western Union will send them a text to who the funds have been submitted. Western Union and Safaricom offer this service.
Why use M-PESA to send money to Kenya?
Money is added instantly to M-PESA accounts once payment is approved.
Your recipients don’t have to carry large amounts of cash, which can be unsafe.
There is no need for your recipient to travel to a pickup location; they will have the money delivered right to their phone. It couldn’t be easier!
What are the benefits of M-PESA?
Sending money to Kenya via M-PESA is a low-cost, fast and safe way to pay, transfer, receive and store cash. M-PESA works digitally and in real-time.
This means your friends or family living, working, or traveling in Kenya will receive the money quicker than a traditional bank transfer. Every transaction is also protected and signed with a PIN.
There are also no service charges on an M-PESA account. Instead, the user pays on a pay-as-you-go basis every time they perform a transaction.
There’s also no minimum amount that you can hold in an M-PESA account. So it remains open even when it’s empty.
