Vodacom's M-PESA super app, My OneApp, now hosts 221 mini applications and has reached 9.4 million users, according to a report from tech publication Tech-ish. The platform, which integrates M-PESA's core financial services with a marketplace of third-party applications, has seen significant growth since its launch, positioning itself as a central hub for digital services in Kenya.
The expansion of the super app ecosystem occurs in a market where M-PESA, operated by Safaricom, dominates mobile money. The service has long been a critical tool for financial inclusion in Kenya and across East Africa, facilitating payments, savings, loans, and merchant transactions for millions. The move to aggregate a wide array of services—from shopping and entertainment to government services—within a single application follows a broader trend among African fintechs to build comprehensive digital platforms.
This growth in digital services takes place against a backdrop of ongoing discussions about taxation on mobile money. In a recent statement, Kenyan President William Ruto said there would be no new taxes on M-Pesa transfers, airtime, or data. The announcement, reported by The Horizon Wire, sought to address public concerns over potential additional levies on widely used telecommunications services.
The president's comments follow legislative action earlier in the month. On June 18, members of Kenya's parliament backed an exemption for M-Pesa transactions from value-added tax, as reported by TechTrendsKE. The move to maintain the VAT exemption was supported by lawmakers who argued that taxing these transfers would disproportionately affect low-income citizens and undermine financial inclusion efforts.
"No new tax on M-Pesa transfers, airtime or data," President William Ruto said.
The regulatory and tax environment is a significant factor for mobile money operators across Africa. In Kenya, M-Pesa's penetration is so deep that changes to its cost structure can have broad economic and social implications. The government's current position, affirming no new taxes and upholding the VAT exemption, provides a degree of stability for Vodacom and Safaricom as they invest in expanding their service ecosystems.
The development of super apps like My OneApp represents a strategic evolution from pure payment networks to multi-service platforms. By offering a curated suite of mini-apps, the operators aim to increase user engagement and transaction volumes while creating new revenue streams beyond traditional transfer fees. The success of this model in Kenya, a mature mobile money market, is being closely watched by other operators on the continent.
Vodacom's reported milestone of 9.4 million users for My OneApp indicates a substantial portion of the M-Pesa user base is engaging with the extended platform. The integration of 221 mini-apps suggests a rapidly developing partner ecosystem, though the specific categories and performance of these individual applications were not detailed in the source material. The focus now will be on whether this aggregated approach can drive deeper financial inclusion and create a sustainable, diversified digital economy within the app.