How Safaricom Tap to Pay will change the way Kenyans pay using M-PESA

Safaricom's Tap to Pay feature could transform the way Kenyans pay for everyday goods and services by enabling customers to complete M-PESA transactions simply by tapping their NFC-enabled phones against a merchant's device. This new functionality, added to the M-PESA Business App used by Lipa na M-PESA merchants, aims to streamline payments and provide businesses with an additional method for collecting funds.

Unlike traditional card payments requiring a point-of-sale machine, Tap to Pay allows the merchant's phone to serve as the payment device. Merchants input the required amount into the M-PESA Business App, and customers view the transaction details on their NFC-enabled devices before authorizing the payment with their M-PESA PIN.

This change could be especially beneficial for small businesses as it eliminates the need for additional payment hardware while leveraging the existing M-PESA infrastructure. NFC, or Near Field Communication, is a short-range wireless technology used for contactless transactions. For customers, the main advantage is the elimination of manually entering merchant till numbers and amounts, reducing errors and increasing convenience for frequent small payments.

Merchants benefit by accepting payments without relying on a separate card machine, potentially lowering equipment costs for businesses that prioritize quick payment processing. Merchants can still fall back on conventional methods like M-PESA prompts, QR code scanning, or entering the merchant’s till number if Tap to Pay is unavailable.

To use Tap to Pay, customers need an active Safaricom line registered on M-PESA, an NFC-enabled smartphone, and the My OneApp application. Merchants must have NFC-enabled phones with their till numbers enabled for Tap to Pay. While Tap to Pay won't immediately replace all existing payment methods, its adoption could make phone-based payments as common as entering an M-PESA till number among Kenyan shoppers.