List of M-Pesa services to be affected by upcoming system upgrade
Millions of Kenyans who depend on M-Pesa for everyday transactions are set to experience a temporary service disruption as Safaricom carries out a key system upgrade scheduled for the early hours of Monday, September 22, 2025, at midnight.
In a public notice titled M-PESA UPGRADE shared on its official X account on Friday, September 19, 2025, the telecommunications giant announced that all M-Pesa services will be unavailable for a three-hour window, from 12:30 am to 3:30 am.
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The upgrade, the firm says, is meant to enhance the security, stability, and speed of the widely used mobile money platform in the country. It comes when mobile money is not just a convenience but a necessity for personal finance, small business operations, utility payments, and even international remittances.
“To support this and meet our promise to offer always-on, safe, secure, and worry-free financial products and services, we will be conducting a scheduled system upgrade,” the company stated.
Safaricom emphasised that the maintenance period was strategically selected to minimise inconvenience to users, as it falls within low-traffic hours when most people are asleep.
However, the exercise will affect every core service offered through the M-Pesa brand, which now spans far beyond simple money transfers. Here is the full list of services set to be affected:
Send and receive money
The foundational function of M-Pesa, peer-to-peer money transfers, will be completely unavailable during the outage. Users will not be able to send funds to friends, family, or business partners, nor receive any incoming transfers.
Withdraw and deposit cash
Any attempts to deposit or withdraw cash at M-Pesa agents across the country will be halted during the maintenance window. Customers are advised to complete such transactions ahead of the scheduled maintenance time.
Buy airtime and data bundles
Both self and third-party airtime purchases will be temporarily suspended. Those who top up their mobile lines via M-Pesa should ensure they do so before the system goes offline.
Lipa na M-Pesa (Pay with M-Pesa)
This service, widely used by businesses and consumers for cashless payments, will not function during the upgrade. Merchants who rely on Till Numbers and Paybill services are advised to make alternative arrangements or alert customers in advance.
M-Pesa bill manager
The Bill Manager tool, which helps customers track and schedule utility bill payments, will also be offline. This includes payments for electricity, water, TV subscriptions, and school fees.
Loans and Savings (M-Shwari, KCB M-Pesa, etc.)
Access to digital loan services like M-Shwari and KCB M-Pesa, as well as savings accounts within the M-Pesa app, will be suspended. Users will be unable to borrow, repay, or deposit funds during the exercise.
Fuliza M-Pesa (overdraft service)
M-Pesa’s overdraft facility, Fuliza, will also be affected. Any transactions that depend on Fuliza’s automatic credit extension will fail during the maintenance period.
M-Pesa global
International services under M-Pesa Global, including remittances and payments to global platforms, will be disrupted. Kenyans receiving funds from abroad or making international payments should plan accordingly.
Safaricom underscored the growing complexity and importance of the M-Pesa platform, which now functions as an important financial infrastructure serving over 30 million users in the country and across the region.
“For 18 years, M-PESA has continued to transform lives across Kenya, connecting you, our customers, to opportunities every day,” Safaricom said in its statement.
