A new M-PESA update is set to be rolled out by Safaricom with the aim of improving the privacy of its customers as they conduct transactions. The new update is referred to as the P2P Data Minimization update and is set to be rolled out on March 24, 2026.
This was announced at a media briefing at the Michael Joseph Centre, located at Safaricom House, where the company explained the system and its importance.
During side interview Sharon Holi, the head of customer privacy at Safaricom, explained that this was part of the long-term strategy towards improving the privacy of the company’s customers.
“We started this journey in 2020 by protecting phone numbers for some M-PESA services, then moving on to employee access, statements, and merchant APIs. Now, we are taking the next step for the everyday person-to-person transactions.”
This update works by ensuring that the phone number of the sender is partially hidden when sending money to someone. This means that the middle part of the sender’s phone number will be hidden, but the first and last names of the sender are still visible.
This helps in the prevention of the abuse of the sender’s phone number.
If one feels the need to see the full phone number, they can request this by sending the message to the transaction message to 334.
This update is also set to make the experience of paying strangers safer, such as when paying the parking attendant or the taxi driver.
Safaricom said the update will also help reduce fraud and prevent unwanted calls or messages. Dr. Peter Ndegwa, CEO of Safaricom, commented during the briefing, “Privacy and security are at the heart of everything we do. M-PESA has grown to be part of daily life for millions of Kenyans, and we are committed to keeping it safe and reliable.”
This update also helps in the reduction of cases of fraud and the sending of unwanted calls and messages.
This update by M-PESA is significant as M-PESA has over the years been at the heart of the digital payment system in Kenya and has over 14 million daily active customers.
