tappi has announced a nw partnership with M-Pesa that will see over 650,000 Kenyan MSMEs access innovative digital solutions to improve their online credibility and visibility. tappi is an end-to-end digital commerce SaaS solution tmade for Africa’s micro, small and medium-sized businesses (MSMEs),
With this partnership, tappi becomes one of the first mini apps to feature on M-Pesa For Business. The startup plans to offer a subsidized package equipping M-Pesa merchants to build their online presence, capture verified reviews and strengthen engagement with their customer base.
tappi will be offering its services for Ksh 1,350 giving merchants access to a free webpage, 50 SMS/WhatsApp reviews, which will be integrated into the merchant’s websites. They will also get 250 Bulk SMS Marketing Credits.
This partnership integrates M-Pesa Ratiba, enabling merchants to automate their monthly subscription payments. M-Pesa Ratiba is a new solutions that makes it easier for users to automate their online payments.
Speaking on this, Kenfield Griffith, CEO and Co-Founder of tappi, said“This partnership is a significant milestone for tappi and a huge endorsement of the value Safaricom and tappi look to generate for MSMEs across Kenya. With over 35mn subscribers, M-PESA has long established itself as the engine through which millions of local entrepreneurs handle their transactions, and with many of these businesses constantly looking for new customers, our tools will be a crucial springboard in driving them to achieve this within an online setting.”
“In Safaricom, we’re proud to partner with one of the most innovative telcos in the market. We firmly believe this will be the first of many steps in our shared mission for MSMEs to not only become active but thriving participants in the digital economy.”
“We are happy to onboard tappi as our first mini-app partner on the M-PESA Business app. This partnership seeks to empower our merchants with affordable and innovative tools and capabilities to grow their businesses. We look forward to driving financial inclusion through building the capacities of small and medium sized businesses, enhancing customer experience thus contributing to the Kenyan economy,” said Peter Ndegwa, Safaricom’s CEO.
tappi’s collaboration with Safaricom marks the latest in a series of moves over the last 12 months to capture Africa’s $20bn market to bridge the digital divide for the continent’s MSMEs. In May 2024, the startup signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) to drive digital services for 30,000 Kenyan MSMEs. This followed its expansion to Côte d’Ivoire in March 2024 in partnership with MTN, whom tappi has also partnered with across its additional market, Nigeria.
With a 90% retention rate and a 1.5-month payback period since its inception in 2019, the platform has captured verified reviews on $3.4 million consumer transactions, and engaged with over 180,000 consumers to date, underscoring its commitment to driving digital inclusion and supporting MSMEs across Africa.
Also Read: tappi Raises $1.5M in Pre-Seed Funding
