Some Safaricom customers have encountered challenges when logging into the telco’s newly launched all-in-one mobile application, disrupting their access to critical mobile money services.
Kenya’s largest telco has, since last week, been automatically migrating customers from its M-Pesa app to a new platform dubbed ‘My OneApp’, which consolidates mobile money services with customer management tools housed in the standalone MySafaricom app.
The new app integrates services such as sending money, buying airtime and data bundles, paying bills, and accessing investment products, alongside account management tools including home internet services.
‘This means less time spent navigating screens and more time simply getting things done,’ the company said on Friday.
But the transition has been marred by technical and usability concerns across both Android and iOS devices.
Some users reported struggles with log-ins and authentication. Safaricom told the Business Daily that it would provide a comprehensive response to the user concerns later this week.
As part of the rollout, users were automatically logged out of the old M-Pesa app and were required to re-authenticate their accounts via a one-time password (OTP) sent to their Safaricom SIM cards.
The process requires users to set their Safaricom line as the primary SIM (SIM 1) and to use Safaricom mobile data during login. This requirement has effectively restricted initial access to the app to Safaricom’s own network, locking out users attempting to log in via Wi-Fi, alternative data providers, or those using virtual private networks (VPNs).
The restrictions have also proven challenging for Kenyans abroad, who are unable to access the network without enabling roaming services. Some still report being unable to log in.
‘You are required to sign in via mobile data the first time to securely confirm your Safaricom SIM and protect your account from unauthorised access. Thereafter, you can switch to Wi-Fi after secure verification,’ the company said in a social media response to customer complaints on Sunday.
Some customers have reported being repeatedly logged out even after successful authentication, forcing them to repeat the process multiple times. In an X post on Monday, Safaricom said mobile data may be required ‘for the first few logins,’ contradicting earlier communication that the requirement applied only once.
M-Pesa remains central to Safaricom’s business and Kenya’s digital economy. The platform currently supports more than 37 million person-to-person transactions daily, valued at over Sh2 billion.
Others have encountered error messages such as ‘Unable to get your phone number’ when attempting to log back in. The telco declined to respond to Business Daily’s requests for comment.
A spokesperson said they would address the matters at a media event later in the week.
There is also uncertainty over the app’s support for biometric authentication. Users with Face ID and fingerprint-enabled devices report being prompted to enter their M-Pesa PINs manually, unlike the previous app.
In an article posted on its website, Safaricom has said that ‘repeated taps within short periods or unusual activity’ triggers additional PIN verification as a fraud prevention measure.
Some customers say they have lost previously saved Paybill and Till numbers during the migration, forcing them to re-enter merchant details manually.
M-Pesa remains central to Safaricom’s business and Kenya’s digital economy. The platform currently supports more than 37 million person-to-person transactions daily, valued at over Sh2 billion.
For the year ended March 2025, M-Pesa generated Sh161.1 billion in revenue in Kenya, supported by 35.82 million monthly active users. It is the company’s largest revenue driver.
M-Pesa commanded 89 percent of Kenya’s mobile money subscriptions as of December 2025. Airtel Money had an 11 percent share, while Telkom’s T-Kash had below 0.1 percent, according to data from the Communication Authority of Kenya (CA).
Safaricom has positioned the new app as a step toward a broader ‘super app’ strategy, similar to the likes of the Chinese mobile payment platforms WeChat Pay and Alipay. According to publicly available data from the Google Play Store, the My OneApp has been installed more than 10 million times.
The telco says it plans to expand it with agentic payments that can execute tasks on behalf of users, voice-activated commands such as sending money or shopping, and near-field communication (NFC) tap-to-pay functionality for in-store transactions.
For now, customers unable to access the new app have turned to the built-in SIM toolkit and the MySafaricom app, which remains available for download. Safaricom did not comment on whether the app will eventually also be phased out.