Year 13 BTEC Business trip to Mpesa Africa Newsletter

Business in Action: Visit to Safaricom (M-Pesa Africa)

As part of their BTEC Business course, our Year 13 students recently visited Safaricom House in Nairobi, home to M-Pesa Africa.This trip provided a unique opportunity to explore how one of Africa’s most innovative companies operates and continues to shape financial services across the continent.

Inside the World of M-Pesa

M-Pesa, launched in 2007, began as a simple solution to help people send money securely via mobile phones. Today, it has evolved into a comprehensive financial ecosystem. During the visit, students learned about M-Pesa’s key services, which include:

• Mobile money transfers and bill payments
• Savings and loan products
• Merchant payment services for businesses
• Cross-border money transfers and international remittances

Students were particularly fascinated by the way M-Pesa has addressed the challenge of financial exclusion, providing millions of Africans with access to financial services for the first time.

A Growing African Presence

The company representatives shared impressive statistics:

• 7 countries of operation: Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Lesotho, and Egypt.
• Over 60 million active customers across the continent.
• More than 600,000 agents supporting users on the ground.

This wide reach has positioned M-Pesa as the largest mobile money platform in Africa and a vital driver of economic activity.

Looking to the Future

Safaricom staff also explained M-Pesa Africa’s strategic vision:

• Expanding financial inclusion in underserved and rural areas.
• Enhancing technology, particularly through the improved M-Pesa Super App.
• Driving regional integration, making cross-border payments easier and more efficient.
• Building global partnerships with banks, fintech companies, and international firms.
• Supporting sustainability, by aligning business practices with social and environmental goals.

Linking to BTEC Business

The trip strongly connected to our students’ studies in areas such as business strategy, marketing, globalization, and innovation. It helped them see how the concepts they learn in the classroom apply in real-world business contexts.

Key takeaways included:

• The importance of innovation in staying competitive.
• How businesses adapt to customer needs in different markets.
• The challenges and opportunities of expanding internationally.
• The role of technology in economic growth.

Student Reflections

The experience left a strong impression on Year 13:

“It was inspiring to see how M-Pesa started with a simple idea and became Africa’s biggest financial service. It showed us that businesses can really change lives.” – Year 13 student

“This trip helped us understand how global expansion works in practice, not just in theory.” – Year 13 student

Conclusion

The Year 13 trip to Safaricom and M-Pesa Africa was an eye-opening and motivational experience. It demonstrated how African businesses are leading in innovation and financial technology, offering our students valuable insights into the future of business.

A big thank you to Safaricom and M-Pesa Africa for welcoming our students and inspiring the next generation of business leaders.

Year 13 BTEC Trip

Rital Hashim

BTEC Business Student