(L-R) Agnes Magero, Head of Enterprise Risk, Felix Rop, Head of Financial Services IT and Esther Waititu, Chief Financial Services Officer.
By Peace Muthoka.
Nairobi, September 19, 2025 – Safaricom has announced the most significant upgrade of its M-PESA platform since 2015, ushering in a new era of speed, security, and artificial intelligence.
The upgrade, branded Fintech 2.0, introduces a next-generation core designed to handle the rising demand of Africa’s digital economy while preparing the platform for future innovation.
The new M-PESA Core will increase capacity from 4,500 to 6,000 transactions per second, with room to scale up to 12,000. It also adopts active-active architecture across multiple hosting sites, ensuring resilience and minimal service interruption.
At the heart of this transformation is advanced AI technology. The platform will detect fraud faster, enable self-healing, and allow real-time monitoring, creating a safer and more seamless experience for millions of users. Its cloud-native foundation also means quicker product rollouts and instant scalability.
Safaricom’s Chief of Financial Services, Esther Waititu, said the migration is about more than just speed and security — it is about building a smarter ecosystem. She outlined three key shifts: microservices to enable flexibility, cloud infrastructure to process massive volumes, and AI-powered tools to deliver personalized, secure solutions for individuals, SMEs, and cross-border transactions.
Over the past 18 years, M-PESA has grown from a simple money transfer tool into Africa’s largest fintech ecosystem, powering payments, savings, credit, insurance, remittances, and e-commerce. With over 30 million active users in Kenya, the launch of Fintech 2.0 lays the foundation for the next wave of innovation.
To pave way for the transition, Safaricom will conduct a scheduled system upgrade on Monday, September 22, between 12:30 a.m. and 3:30 a.m. All services, including sending money and buying airtime, will be temporarily unavailable. Customers are advised to plan transactions in advance.
As M-PESA turns the page to its next chapter, Safaricom says the mission remains unchanged making financial services simple, secure, and accessible to all.
