Uchumi and Naivas Partners With Safaricom to Offer Payments Through M-Pesa

If you are in Kenya then you are lucky as you can now pay for your goods at supermarkets using the M-PESA service. Safaricom has partnered with Uchumi and Naivas supermarkets to make your shopping easier. The service is named Nunua na M-PESA and will be available at all the branches of the two Supermarket outlets across Kenya.

The service will be enjoyed by the over 12.7 million M-PESA subscribers. Clients will in the meantime enjoy the service free of-charge following an introductory offer by Safaricom. The service will however attract transaction charges at the end of the offer which will be communicated to customers through the media.

Safaricom CEO Michael Joseph said the company was leading the way towards a mobile wallet and cash-less society where all payments will be made online reducing the risks involved in carrying cash.

Mr Joseph said the company would continue to seek partnerships aimed at easing and improving the living standards of Kenyans while at the same time maximizing their mobile phone usage.

Since launch in March 2007, M-PESA has evolved beyond money transfer into a total mobile commerce solution. Towards this end, Safaricom has partnered with various utility providers cutting across various sectors of the economy.

HOW NUNUA NA M-PESA WORKS:

1.    Select ‘Buy Goods’ from their M-PESA menu

2.    Enter the ‘Till Number’ of the organization they are paying to

3.    Enter the amount they wish to pay (Between Sh100-35,000)

4.    Enter the M-PESA PIN number, confirm entries and then press OK.

Upon payment, both the customer and the supermarket sales assistant will receive a confirmation SMS from M-PESA.

What do you think of the development?