Kenya: Safaricom Upgrades M-PESA Capacity to 6,000 Transactions Per Second

Safaricom has completed a major upgrade of its M-PESA platform, boosting processing capacity to 6,000 transactions per second — the most significant enhancement since 2015. The upgrade strengthens Africa’s most widely used mobile money service as transaction volumes continue to rise with the continent’s expanding digital economy.

Launched in 2007 as a simple money transfer service, M-PESA has since grown into Africa’s largest fintech ecosystem, offering payments, credit, savings, insurance, remittances, and e-commerce solutions. Millions of users rely on the platform daily, and the latest upgrade ensures transactions remain seamless even at peak demand.

At the core of the upgrade is Fintech 2.0, a next-generation system that increases throughput from 4,500 to 6,000 transactions per second, with scalability for up to 12,000 in the future. The platform also incorporates an active-active architecture across multiple hosting sites, ensuring greater resilience and reducing service downtime.

The new system integrates advanced artificial intelligence capabilities, including real-time fraud detection, automated system recovery, and continuous performance monitoring. Its cloud-native design enables faster feature rollouts and instant scalability, reinforcing M-PESA’s ability to adapt to changing customer needs.

Safaricom Group CEO, Dr. Peter Ndegwa, described the upgrade as a bold investment in innovation and customer trust:

“By moving to Fintech 2.0, we are not only addressing today’s needs but building for the future. This upgrade cements M-PESA’s role at the heart of Africa’s digital transformation.”

Supporting this, Safaricom’s Chief Financial Services Officer, Esther Waititu, noted that rising transaction volumes — peaking at over 4,200 per second — made the expansion essential to meet evolving customer behavior and future demand.

The new platform also delivers 99% service availability, improved online upgrade processes to avoid customer disruption, and enhanced support for cross-border and SME-focused payment services. These developments are expected to accelerate financial inclusion and further position M-PESA as a backbone of Africa’s digital economy.

By combining higher capacity, reliability, and AI-driven security, the M-PESA upgrade sets a new benchmark for mobile financial services on the continent. Safaricom’s move signals not only a milestone for the company but also a critical step forward in advancing inclusive, tech-driven financial services across Africa.