🇰🇪 How to Pay in Kenya

Kenya is a pioneer in mobile payments, and M-Pesa is woven into daily life here. Nearly everything can be paid for via M-Pesa, from street food to safari bookings. Getting a local Safaricom SIM card at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and registering for M-Pesa should be your first move. Uber and Bolt work well in Nairobi and Mombasa, while smaller towns rely more on local matatus (minibuses) and boda bodas (motorcycle taxis). English and Swahili are both official languages, and most apps support English. Nairobi's traffic can be brutal during rush hours, so plan trips outside peak times or use ride-hailing apps that show estimated arrival times.

Payment & Finance Apps

M-Pesa

Essential

Kenya's revolutionary mobile money platform and the single most important app for any traveler in the country. Used by over 80% of the adult population, M-Pesa handles everything from paying for groceries and restaurant bills to settling taxi fares and buying safari tickets. Operated by Safaricom, it works via a simple SIM-based system.

Pro tip: Register for M-Pesa at the Safaricom shop in the airport arrivals hall. Bring your passport, buy a SIM, and load some Kenyan shillings onto your M-Pesa wallet. Most merchants display their 'Till Number' for payments.

All apps in Kenya →Kenya Payments guide →