Nairobi, 10th September 2024 — Safaricom PLC has announced a scheduled maintenance of its M-PESA services, aimed at enhancing the user experience. The maintenance is set to take place from Tuesday 10th September 2024, starting from 11:00 PM, until Wednesday 11th September 2024, 3:30 AM. During this window, all M-PESA services will be unavailable. However, other services such as calls, data, and SMS will remain operational.
Impact on Customers
The outage will affect millions of M-PESA users, who depend on the mobile money platform for everyday transactions, bill payments, and sending or receiving money. As the backbone of Kenya’s financial inclusion, M-PESA facilitates millions of transactions daily. Safaricom is urging customers to make any necessary transactions ahead of time to avoid inconvenience.
In a statement, Safaricom emphasized that the scheduled maintenance has been meticulously planned to cause minimal disruption. By scheduling the outage during late-night hours, Safaricom aims to limit the impact on its customers’ routines, especially for businesses and individuals who rely heavily on the platform during regular working hours.
Continuity of Other Services
Despite the M-PESA downtime, Safaricom assures its customers that other services such as voice calls, SMS, and mobile data will function without interruption. Customers will still have full access to Safaricom’s communication services, allowing them to continue staying connected even during the maintenance period.
Commitment to Improving M-PESA Services
Safaricom reiterated that the purpose of the scheduled maintenance is to improve the performance, security, and reliability of M-PESA services. “To enable us to continue to give you the best M-PESA experience, we have scheduled a system maintenance,” the company stated.
Safaricom’s dedication to ensuring smooth user experiences has kept M-PESA at the forefront of mobile money services not just in Kenya but across Africa. The maintenance will allow for system updates that are expected to bolster service quality, ensuring that users enjoy faster and more secure transactions in the future.
Apology and Customer Care
Safaricom has issued an apology for any inconvenience the downtime may cause, noting that they are aware of the importance of M-PESA in the daily lives of Kenyans. In the notice, the company expressed gratitude to its customers for their understanding and continued support.
“We are sorry for any inconvenience caused and thank you for supporting us to be the country’s leading provider,” Safaricom added.
Advice to Users
Given the widespread reliance on M-PESA, Safaricom has advised users to plan ahead by ensuring that their accounts are funded and all critical transactions are completed before 11:00 PM on Tuesday night. Customers may also consider using alternatives such as bank transfers or debit card transactions if immediate payments are required during the maintenance period.
What’s Next for M-PESA?
This system maintenance is part of a broader plan by Safaricom to continually improve the M-PESA platform and roll out additional features in the future. With increasing competition from other mobile money platforms and fintech services, Safaricom’s focus on system upgrades and customer experience remains a key differentiator.
Safaricom has hinted at the possibility of introducing new features and enhanced security measures on M-PESA, ensuring the platform remains a leader in the rapidly evolving financial technology space.
Customer Support and Queries
For those with questions or concerns, Safaricom’s customer care services will remain operational during the maintenance period. Users can reach out via the MySafaricom App, Safaricom’s social media channels, or by dialling 100 for assistance.
Safaricom continues to position itself as Kenya’s leading telecommunications provider, with M-PESA as one of the crown jewels in its service portfolio. The upcoming system maintenance, although a temporary inconvenience, is a sign of the company’s commitment to ensuring world-class service for all its users.
Safaricom has always focused on delivering a seamless customer experience, and this scheduled downtime is part of the ongoing effort to ensure that the M-PESA system stays ahead of the curve in mobile money innovation. Users are encouraged to remain patient and plan accordingly as Safaricom works to deliver the best mobile money experience in the region.
