By Ken Muthomi - Reporter
Kenya, April 27, 2026 - Airtel Money and Absa Bank Kenya have partnered to launch a service aimed at expanding digital payment options for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across the country.
The new service allows customers to execute direct transfers from Airtel Money wallets into Absa Bank Kenya accounts, as well as payments to Absa merchant paybill accounts.
Airtel Money MD Anne Kinuthia-Otieno said that the new partnership aims to enhance convenience for everyday transactions, including business payments, bill settlements, and seamless fund transfers using mobile phones, especially for SMEs operating in rural and underserved areas.
The integration is designed to support both personal and business use and will also allow Airtel Money customers to enjoy up to 100 per cent guaranteed cashback as airtime on all paybill payments.
As customers increasingly demand payment solutions that are simple, fast, and reliable, this partnership addresses the long-standing friction points in digital payments, supporting the growth of small businesses and making digital payments work better for everyday life,” Otieno said during the partnership agreement signing.
Absa Bank Kenya Business Banking Director, Renato D’Souza, said that the new service will be fundamental in ensuring that entrepreneurs manage their cash flow more effectively.
“By enabling seamless transfers from Airtel Money wallets into Absa accounts and simplifying payments to Absa merchant paybill numbers, we are giving entrepreneurs more control, more choice, and more efficiency in how they manage their cashflows,” he said.
In recent years, Kenya has recorded significant growth in mobile money transactions, which are increasingly driving savings and borrowing.
According to a recent report by GSMA, out of the 2.3 billion registered mobile money accounts recorded in in 202 globally, Africa accounted for more than two-thirds of the accounts.
East African Countries, including Tanzania, Uganda, and Kenya, emerged as the leading horses.
In Kenya alone, the report indicated that 32 percent of adults got their loans from Mobile Money Providers, with 25percent of them borrowing through their mobile money accounts.
More than half of mobile money service providers reported profitability in 2025, supported by increased usage and diversified revenue streams, according to the report.
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