Safaricom Lowers M-Pesa Airtime Purchase Limit To Increase Its Calls Revenue

• Safaricom Group voice call revenue registered a 0.6% drop to KSh 80.5 billion in the financial year 2024
• The leading telecommunications firm lowered the M-Pesa airtime purchase limit to KSh 1 from KSh 5 to mop up additional revenue
• Speaking exclusively to TUKO.co.ke, the telco said the option is available to all customers across different tariffs

TUKO.co.ke journalist Wycliffe Musalia has over five years of experience in financial, business, and technology reporting and offers deep insights into Kenyan and global economic trends.

Safaricom PLC has lowered the M-Pesa airtime purchase limit.

How much voice revenue did Safaricom earn?

This followed a 0.6% decline in the company's voice revenue recorded in the financial year 2024.

According to Safaricom Annual Report and Financial Statement 2024, the leading telecommunications firm posted a voice revenue of KSh 80.5 billion.

Safaricom Kenya's voice revenue dropped 1.7% to KSh 79.5 billion during the same period under review.

What's the new M-Pesa airtime purchase limit?

On Monday, September 16, the telco sent alerts to customers reminding them of an option to purchase KSh 1 airtime from M-Pesa.

In an exclusive response to TUKO.co.ke, Safaricom confirmed that it lowered the limit from the previous KSh 5 to KSh 1, saying it is available to all customers.

"The purchase of KSh 1 airtime from M-Pesa is now available to all customers," said the telco.

How to buy KSh 1 airtime from M-Pesa

Safaricom noted that the M-Pesa airtime limit of KSh 1 cuts across all tariffs.

Safaricom voice tariff charges KSh 4.87 per minute during peak hours and KSh 2.5 per minute during off-peak, while SMS costs KSh 1.2.

The telco explained that one can purchase the KSh 1 airtime from M-Pesa by dialling the USSD code *334# and following the prompts.

"It does not change your tariff and you may purchase this through any tariff. Dial *334#OK, to make the purchase," the company said.

How to reverse M-Pesa airtime

Meanwhile, Safaricom PLC allows customers to reverse money mistakenly withdrawn from their M-Pesa account as airtime.

However, some customers find it difficult to reverse transactions when they use some amount from the airtime, either for subscription or clearing Okoa debt.

In a previous report, Safaricom revealed to TUKO.co.ke that the amount can be reversed if the customer tops up and sends the original transaction message to 456.

Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura Guthua, journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke

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