M-PESA Ethiopia, the mobile money service operated by Safaricom Telecommunications Ethiopia, has partnered with the pan-African talent marketplace Gebeya to launch a new integrated payment bundle. Announced on February 27, 2026, the 'Dala AI' bundle will allow Ethiopian users to pay for artificial intelligence creation tools and services on Gebeya's platform directly through their M-PESA wallets.
The collaboration embeds M-PESA as a payment method within Gebeya's online marketplace, which connects African tech talent with businesses. The bundle specifically targets the purchase of AI-powered tools and services offered by freelancers and firms on the platform. This integration is designed to streamline transactions for Ethiopian developers, data scientists, and businesses seeking to leverage AI solutions.
Amélie A. Arnaud, Chief Commercial Officer of M-PESA Africa, stated that the partnership aligns with the company's strategy to expand its financial services ecosystem beyond traditional peer-to-peer transfers and bill payments. "By integrating with Gebeya, we are enabling a new use case for digital payments in Ethiopia's growing tech sector," Arnaud said. The move is seen as part of a broader effort to increase the utility of the M-PESA wallet in a market where the service launched in 2023 following Safaricom's acquisition of a license.
For Gebeya, which was founded in 2016 and is headquartered in Addis Ababa, the partnership provides a seamless payment rail for its Ethiopian user base. The marketplace hosts thousands of freelancers across software development, design, and data analysis. Gebeya's CEO, Amadou Daffe, noted that facilitating easy, secure payments is critical for the platform's growth and for the freelancers who depend on it for income. "Integrating M-PESA reduces friction for our community in Ethiopia, allowing them to focus on delivering value rather than navigating complex payment processes," Daffe said.
The launch occurs as Safaricom, the Kenyan parent company of M-PESA Africa, pursues a wider innovation strategy focused on AI and ecosystem expansion. While separate from the Ethiopian operation, Safaricom's stated plans for 2026 include deepening investments in artificial intelligence and expanding the functionality of the M-PESA super-app across its markets. The Ethiopia-Gebeya partnership represents a market-specific execution of this ecosystem-building approach, adapting to local opportunities.
Ethiopia represents a significant growth frontier for mobile money. The country's financial inclusion rate remains below regional averages, and the central bank has been progressively liberalizing the telecommunications and financial sectors. M-PESA Ethiopia competes with the state-owned Telebirr and other services in a market of over 120 million people. Partnerships with platforms like Gebeya that serve professional and business customers are a method of acquiring and retaining users in a competitive landscape.
Analysts observe that such integrations test the potential of mobile money as a B2B and professional services payment channel, moving beyond its roots in consumer-centric transactions. The success of the Dala AI bundle could influence how other fintechs and mobile network operators structure partnerships with digital platforms in Ethiopia and other African markets. The development also highlights the increasing intersection of fintech and the continent's digital talent economy, where efficient payment solutions are a key enabler for freelance and gig work.