M-Pesa UK service officially launched

kentv news 30th July 2010 [Today's News] | All Programs

Thanks to KenTVs partnership with Safaricom, registered M-pesa customers can receive remittances from the UK directly onto their mobile phones. The launch of the international component of M-pesa follows a successful pilot project with selected outlets in the UK.

Following authorization by the Central Bank of Kenya, Safaricom shall be increasing the locations in the UK from which money can be sent to M-pesa customers, as well as launching services across other popular remittance corridors. Out of the 19 M-pesa outlets in the UK, six are under KenTV.

After a three month pilot project involving three agents namely; KenTv , Western Union, and Provident Capital Transfers the international M-Pesa service was finally launched. A total of 19 outlets were carefully selected to cover areas with relatively high number of Kenyan residential areas including towns like Reading, London, Luton, Wembley & Glasgow.

They comprise a variety of shops including forex agents, news agents and grocery shops that are commonly visited by Kenyans and whom are registered with HM Revenue & Customs in the UK as Money Services Businesses.

Central Bank Governor Prof. Njuguna Ndung’u who as the chief guest at the launch, gave the service a clean bill of health saying it was timely and would greatly facilitate faster and convenient remittance.

To send money using M-PESA, the sender in UK will be required to identify themselves and furnish the agent with the recipient’s name, Kenyan mobile number and the amount being sent in Sterling Pounds.

Exchange rate conversion to Kenya Shillings is done at the prevailing rate the agent will then proceed to send the converted amount in Kenya Shillings, direct to the recipients M-pesa account. There is no registration fee to either party for using M-PESA’s international service.

The sender will pay a competitive transaction fee ranging from £4 to £6.90, depending on the amount sent and the outlet at which they are transacting.

Currently, the maximum amount that can be sent internationally per transaction through M-pesa is £250 (approx Sh30,000) while the total allowable per month from a single sender in the UK is £1,000.

Normal transaction limits and charges apply to the M-pesa account in Kenya, including a maximum balance of Sh50,000.

Safaricom CEO Michael Joseph said: “We wish to invite Kenyans living in the UK to take advantage of this service, which presents a real innovation on our M-pesa menu. Through strategic partnerships with Western Union, Provident Capital and KenTV we are giving them an opportunity to convert across two currencies into M-pesa and send money affordably without any hidden costs – directly to the mobile phone of the recipient.”

Comments

ebrahim mutio bita

i leave in the town of carlisle in England near the border with scotland. in cumbria county.
i would like to send money to kenya through M-pesa but i dont know how it works please tell me what i should do. i have already have a M-PESA account from kenya but i dont know where or how to put money in my account or to send it to kenya

Wednesday 17 February 2010, 09:33

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