By Pascal Ndegwa - Reporter
KEnya, OCtober 16 ,2026 - ICT Cabinet Secretary William Kabogo has met Mastercard’s Senior Vice President and Country Manager for East Africa, Shehryar Ali, to discuss how Kenya can make digital payments cheaper, safer and easier for ordinary people and businesses.
The meeting comes at a time when more Kenyans are paying for services, running businesses and looking for work online, but still face fraud, high costs and uneven access to digital tools.
Kabogo said the discussions focused on making digital payments more affordable, secure and seamless for citizens and businesses. They also looked at how Kenyans can access government services digitally, and how small enterprises can benefit from digital tools and opportunities offered through the government’s Digital Hubs.
“We also explored cooperation in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and emerging technologies, with an emphasis on protecting personal data and strengthening trust in the digital economy,” Kabogo said after the meeting.
The ICT Cabinet Secretary said Kenya remains committed to partnerships that bring practical benefits to Kenyans by helping small businesses grow, creating opportunities for young people and bringing public services closer to wananchi.
The meeting matters because Kenya’s digital economy is already growing fast. Many small businesses now accept mobile money, while more citizens use online platforms to pay for government services and access information.
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Mastercard is also already present in Kenya through partnerships with Safaricom and several banks, making it a major player in digital payments across the region.
But the talks were exploratory. No agreement, budget, project name or implementation date has been announced. That means Kenyans should not expect an immediate change in payment charges or government services yet.
The most important issue may be trust. As digital payments grow, so do online fraud, phishing scams and identity theft. Kabogo has previously warned that artificial intelligence is making these threats more sophisticated. Any partnership involving payments and personal data will therefore need strong cybersecurity and clear data-protection measures.
If the discussions lead to real action, small businesses could get better tools to accept payments, young people could find more digital work opportunities through Digital Hubs, and citizens could access public services without travelling long distances or dealing with cash-based delays.
For now, the meeting is a signal that the government wants global technology and payment companies to play a bigger role in Kenya’s digital transformation. The real test will be whether it produces a clear programme that improves services, protects Kenyans online and puts more money-making opportunities within reach of ordinary people.