Safaricom has kicked off what could be the biggest fintech platform migration in Kenya's history. The telecom giant is moving users from its standalone M-PESA app to My OneApp, a unified platform designed to consolidate more than 10 million users onto a single interface.
What stands out is the timing. This aggressive consolidation comes as Kenyan banks like Equity Group Holdings and KCB Group are finally building mobile apps that can compete with M-PESA's legendary ease of use.
The Migration Timeline
Safaricom unveiled My OneApp on April 2 at its Decode 4.0 engineering summit. The platform had been running in public beta for several months before the official launch.
Since April 3, M-PESA app users have been receiving updates redirecting them to My OneApp. This marks the beginning of what Safaricom calls a "phased migration."
The mySafaricom app remains active for now. Safaricom did not respond to requests for comment on when legacy apps will be fully retired.
FinTech 2.0 Strategy in Action
This migration sits squarely within Safaricom's FinTech 2.0 strategy. The company wants to transform from a telecom provider into a broader technology platform by 2030.
"The fragmented app strategy was a legacy of how the company grew; telco first, then finance," said an internal Safaricom source who asked not to be named.
By merging apps with overlapping features, Safaricom aims to reduce app switching and pull users into a single environment. This allows the company to track user behavior and spending patterns more effectively.
Technical Powerhouse
My OneApp represents a significant technical upgrade over its predecessors. Built on cloud-native architecture, the platform can process 6,000 transactions per second.
"Maintaining two separate codebases, two security protocols, and two user journeys was becoming a liability," a Safaricom engineer, who asked not to be named, said.
The app hosts over 80 third-party services ranging from train bookings to M-TIBA health insurance. This allows Safaricom to collect platform fees and valuable consumer data without users leaving the interface.
AI-Powered Features
Unlike the old apps, My OneApp uses machine learning to surface quick actions. If a user consistently pays their Kenya Power bill on the 15th of each month, the app will automatically prompt them to complete the transaction on the home screen.
The platform also embeds the new Ziidi money market fund and trader share-trading tools directly into the M-PESA flow. This positions Safaricom as more than just a payments provider.
Competitive Pressure Mounts
I have been tracking the rapid improvement in banking apps across Kenya, and the competitive landscape is shifting fast. Traditional lenders are targeting payments, transfers, and savings products that once belonged exclusively to Safaricom's ecosystem.
The consolidation strategy makes perfect sense from a defensive standpoint. Instead of competing across multiple fragmented touchpoints, Safaricom is betting on a single, superior platform experience.
This migration will determine whether Safaricom can maintain its fintech dominance or if the increasingly sophisticated banking sector will chip away at its market share. The stakes could not be higher for Kenya's digital economy.
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