Mobile payment - changing from p2p to fully fledged payment systems.

[RV Pundit]

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Equitel seem to be gaining on Safaricom.

https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2017/10/02/mobile-payment-for-goods-up-71-per-cent_c1645032

[hk]

Equitel seem to be gaining on Safaricom.

https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2017/10/02/mobile-payment-for-goods-up-71-per-cent_c1645032

Pesalink also has potential, especially when they add and simplify merchant payments. Most business to business transactions should be going through this instead of cheques, pesalink limit is capped at ksh.999999 per day.

[RV Pundit]

Yeah that was is really killer for personal cheques & possibly RTGS for low value transactions. Exciting times ahead.

Pesalink also has potential, especially when they add and simplify merchant payments. Most business to business transactions should be going through this instead of cheques, pesalink limit is capped at ksh.999999 per day.

[vooke]

Equitel
I thought it was DoA

I was quite wrong.

[hk]

Equitel
I thought it was DoA

I was quite wrong.

Equitel ensured that FGM distributors accept equitel, especially alcohol distributors. This has led quick uptake, they now need to get petrol stations, bar & restaurants.

[bryan275]

Equitel
I thought it was DoA

I was quite wrong.

Equitel ensured that FGM distributors accept equitel, especially alcohol distributors. This has led quick uptake, they now need to get petrol stations, bar & restaurants.

Looks like the slow turning "innovator" Safcom is having their lunch eaten.  Na bado... sleek payment systems are coming through fast.

[RV Pundit]

Me too. They integration with m-pesa is seamless. You just pay through M-pesa and this has worked for them.

Equitel
I thought it was DoA

I was quite wrong.

[RV Pundit]

Moonki will rubbish but agents number is now 180K - assuming some agents employ more than 1 person- we may be talking 200-250k direct agent jobs - which equals teaching force -earning about the same commission as salaried employee of GOK.

[MOON Ki]

Moonki will rubbish but agents number is now 180K - assuming some agents employ more than 1 person- we may be talking 200-250k direct agent jobs - which equals teaching force -earning about the same commission as salaried employee of GOK.

Why do you assume that I would necessarily rubbish it?    I'm all for good news on Kenyans doing well economically.

If there are "200-250K direct agent jobs - which equals teaching force -earning about the same commission as salaried employee of GOK", then that could well be good.   Here are some Aug-2016 figures from MPESA's website:

MPesa agents earned an average commission of Sh12,147 per month last year compared to a monthly average of Sh11,937 in 2015 and Sh10,989 in 2014.

http://www.mpesarates.com/mpesa-agents-commissions-increases-by-19-percent/

I hope  that salaried employees in the GoK, especially those in the "teaching force", are doing a bit better than that.    Or is Sh. 12K per month an excellent wage in Kenya.

[RV Pundit]

Teachers until recently earned 17K so did our police force and they constitute the bulk of civil servants...so yeah average salary of 12k for 200K is a lot of "money"...those guys are definitely able to escape the international poverty line (2 usd dollar per day)..which is 60 dollars per month.

Moonki will rubbish but agents number is now 180K - assuming some agents employ more than 1 person- we may be talking 200-250k direct agent jobs - which equals teaching force -earning about the same commission as salaried employee of GOK.

Why do you assume that I would necessarily rubbish it?    I'm all for good news on Kenyans doing well economically.

If there are "200-250K direct agent jobs - which equals teaching force -earning about the same commission as salaried employee of GOK", then that could well be good.   Here are some Aug-2016 figures from MPESA's website:

MPesa agents earned an average commission of Sh12,147 per month last year compared to a monthly average of Sh11,937 in 2015 and Sh10,989 in 2014.

http://www.mpesarates.com/mpesa-agents-commissions-increases-by-19-percent/

I hope  that salaried employees in the GoK, especially those in the "teaching force", are doing a bit better than that.    Or is Sh. 12K per month an excellent wage in Kenya.

[MOON Ki]

Teachers until recently earned 17K so did our police force and they constitute the bulk of civil servants...so yeah average salary of 12k for 200K is a lot of "money"... .those guys are definitely able to escape the international poverty line (2 usd dollar per day)..which is 60 dollars per month.

To my mind, someone earning Sh. 12 K per month in Kenya is poor.   Quite poor.  But, I don't live in Kenya, and that is just my impression from looking around on the few occasions when I visit.   Also, as you note, just look at the international poverty line! 

If Sh. 12K per month is a lot of money, then, yes, people are definitely going great.  Perhaps we finally have a solution to the huge unemployment problem in Kenya?  If so, then I'm all for it!

[RV Pundit]

It all depend. If the mpesa agent is single or married and how many kids they got. Obviously escaping poverty line doesn't mean much - it just mean these people thanks to M-pesa are now able to eat a 3 square meal - nothing fancy - meat once in a while to spice their ugali & beans & sukuma-wiki. 120usd per month is enough to have two person household escape poverty..and obviously as you notice their earning is rising annually..so 10 yrs from now..they may be earning 30k per month?

So yeah we have solutions to poverty and unemployment; it just isn't a single bullet. If you check Ethiopia manufacturing jobs - they folks working there earn 20-50 dollars per month! Don't sneer at m-pesa jobs! 10yrs ago they were NONE existent.

To my mind, someone earning Sh. 12 K per month in Kenya is poor.   Quite poor.  But, I don't live in Kenya, and that is just my impression from looking around on the few occasions when I visit.   Also, as you note, just look at the international poverty line! 

If Sh. 12K per month is a lot of money, then, yes, people are definitely going great.  Perhaps we finally have a solution to the huge unemployment problem in Kenya?  If so, then I'm all for it!

[MOON Ki]

... those guys are definitely able to escape the international poverty line ... Obviously escaping poverty line doesn't mean much ...

If you say so.

Don't sneer at m-pesa jobs!

The emotional charge is unwarranted and unhelpful.    As I have indicated, I am not in Kenya and so perhaps do not fully understand these things.   If Kenyans, despite what seem to be high unemployment and rather low wages relative to purchasing power, are doing well economically from these "agent" jobs, then I can understand the excitement and I'm all for it.   And in that case, the country would---if it wishes to "sustainably"  lift the masses out of poverty and be properly "middle class"---obviously do well to double and re-double its efforts in increasing the number of "agents". Kazi iendelee.   

Overall, I am absolutely delighted by all the great economic news.   (You may assume that for any and all future great news, "fully fledged" or otherwise, and not feel obliged to drag me for a confirmation.   Asante sana.)