Kenyan digital commerce startup tappi has partnered Safaricom’s M-PESA for Business to empower M-PESA’s 650,000-strong network of Kenyan MSMEs with tools to bolster their online credibility and visibility.
Founded by Kenfield Griffith and Louis Majanja, tappi is an end-to-end digital commerce SaaS solution tailored for MSMEs, which allows business owners to download its app, add their “look and feel”, and promote their business through a three-step process that goes to Google Ads, Facebook Ads, and Instagram Ads using airtime credit or mobile money.
Since its inception in 2022, tappi has been on a rapid growth journey capturing verified reviews on over US$3 million consumer transactions and engaging with over 150,000 consumers. Disrupt Africa reported in December the startup had raised US$1.5 million through an oversubscribed pre-seed round of funding, and it recently made Ivory Coast its third market, having already moved into Nigeria.
It has now partnered M-PESA for Business as part of M-PESA’s drive to expand its suite of services for the 650,000 users registered for its business till number, and over 50 million monthly active users across several African countries. tappi becomes one of the first mini apps to feature on M-PESA For Business, and will deliver a subsidised package equipping M-PESA’s merchants to build their online presence, capture verified reviews and strengthen engagement with an expanded customer base.
For KES1,350 (US$11), merchants will receive access to a free webpage, 50 SMS/WhatsApp reviews, which will be integrated into the merchant’s websites, as well as 250 Bulk SMS Marketing Credits. As part of the collaboration, M-PESA Ratiba, a new automated solution allowing M-PESA users to automate their online payments, has also been included in the tappi mini app, enabling business owners to seamlessly pay their monthly subscriptions without disruptions.
“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 35 million 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,” said Griffith, tappi’s CEO.
“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.”
Targeted to reach at least 300,000 M-PESA for Business App users, the partnership has officially launched with an initial cohort of over 250 M-PESA For Business app users across the food, fashion, health and beauty sectors throughout Kenya. tappi’s solutions will build on the M-PESA For Business app’s existing functionalities which include viewing collections, statements and payments as well as transacting directly from the M-PESA till number.
“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.
