Do you use mobile money services? Okay, what kind of a question is that? Kenya is very synonymous with mobile money services. Driven by the explosion of M-Pesa, Safaricom’s mobile money transfer service that is now a platform that is emulated and replicated all around the world, mobile money is to Kenyans what credit and debit cards are to the Western world.

With it, however, has come the cost of the convenience it brings, a cost that many, especially after repeated moves to tax the service by the government have resulted in transaction and related fees going up, feel is getting out of hand, if it hasn’t, already.

Banks, the financial institutions that M-Pesa one-upped to win the hearts and minds of Kenyans and boost financial inclusion in the country, haven’t been left behind. Building on the scraps and crumbs falling from M-Pesa’s table, they have quickly mastered the art of exorbitantly billing their client base for any transactions between their accounts and their mobile wallets.
For how long can this go on?

Nick, Kaluka and Chenze explore this contentious topic in the first 24bit podcast episode of 2020. Listen along!