Kenya-based telco, Safaricom, has launched a Lipa Na M-PESA business smartphone app for the more than 170,000 merchants on the service.
Dubbed M-PESA for Business, the app empowers business owners to access real-time statements, export statements and track their business performance on the go.
Through the app, entrepreneurs can withdraw funds from Lipa Na M-PESA to their M-PESA accounts, bank accounts or at an agent. In addition, business owners with a business till can now send money to other M-PESA customers including paying wages, paying for supplies and make payments to other businesses all through the app.
Peter Ndegwa, CEO, Safaricom, said: “At Safaricom, we are taking a focus on the needs of small and medium businesses to provide them with suitable technology solutions to help them grow.” Ndegwa said the M-PESA for Business smartphone app is one such solution as it empowers more than 170,000 businesses across the country to send money, make payments and provides them with simple and detailed reports from the convenience of the mobile phone.
“In addition to making transactions from their Lipa Na M-PESA tills, the app offers additional management features such as an overview of different tills for business owners with multiple outlets and till usage management,” he said. “The app is also packed with rich, detailed reports including money-in and money-out charts, store overview and frequently used Lipa Na M-PESA Tills and PayBills.
The “M-PESA for Business” app is immediately available from the Android Google Play store and the IOS App store and complements the *234# menu which has been providing Lipa Na M-PESA merchants with the ability to manage their till and make transactions.
According to Safaricom, the app has been designed to take advantage of unique smartphone capabilities to provide businesses with powerful, additional features and a digital, modern way to use the service.
The telco has also rolled out a portal where any business across Kenya can now apply online for a Lipa Na M-PESA Till.
