Nairobi, Kenya – Customers banking in commercial banks, mobile money, SACCOs and online banking will now enjoy instant and secure customer-to-business payments.
This followed a partnership between Integrated Payment Services Limited (IPSL), the operator of Pesalink, and the pan-African payments company Cellulant.
The strategic partnership, inked on Monday, September 29, aims to simplify and scale customer-to-business (C2B) payments for over 80 financial institutions, including 39 commercial banks, SACCOs, and fintechs.
Why Pesalink collaborates with Cellulant
The partnership will enable millions of consumers to pay seamlessly from their bank accounts directly to merchants, while providing businesses access to a broader customer base and more reliable payment flows.
The two organisations are solving some of the most persistent challenges in digital payments today, including delays, reconciliation errors, and limited payment options, while advancing Kenya’s digital infrastructure that connects banks, fintechs, and merchants to achieve interoperability.
Customers making purchases from Cellulant’s merchants can now pay up to KSh 999,999 per transaction with higher daily limits, enjoying instant and affordable 2 payments without the hassle of moving funds between multiple mobile money or card platforms.
Additionally, the integration now allows users to confirm their payment details before sending, helping prevent mistakes before completing a transaction.
Each payment now carries a reliable reference number, ensuring money goes to the right merchant and is correctly linked to what the customer was paying for. This reduces errors, builds trust, and makes digital payments more dependable.
Businesses on the Cellulant platform get accurate reconciliation, fewer disputes, and faster settlement.
Since bank transfers are often high-value payments, this partnership eliminates costly delays and missing payments, freeing businesses to focus on growth and delivering value to their customers rather than chasing outstanding payments.
The service has gone live with businesses in the airline and travel sectors and will be rolled out more widely over the next few months.
Driving Growth in the Digital Economy
As Kenya continues to strengthen its position as a leader in digital financial services, Pesalink and Cellulant partnerships play a vital role in building trust and enhancing efficiency within the payment ecosystem.
“Pesalink was built to simplify life through instant, affordable payments for everyone, everywhere, every time. Our partnership with Cellulant directly addresses recurring merchant pain points in payment reconciliation, while providing customers with a seamless experience. We believe this will be a catalyst for growth in Kenya’s digital economy, and we are showing how payments can truly move differently,” said Plounne Oyunge, Chief Growth Officer at Pesalink, during the event attended by News 9.
How Pesalink, Cellulant transform digital payments
Cellulant operates Tingg, its single API payment platform, which supports over 200 payment methods, including cards, bank transfers, and mobile money, across both online and offline channels, simplifying accepting and making payments.
Tingg today processes more than 4.5 million transactions daily, powering payments for local, regional, and global businesses across Africa.
“At Cellulant, we believe that transforming how money moves transforms lives. Every time we remove friction from the movement of money, we enable businesses to grow faster, consumers to access more opportunities, and communities to thrive.
“Seamless and secure payments are a tool for progress: they build trust, drive commerce, and open doors to innovation. This partnership with Pesalink demonstrates our commitment to improving the everyday transaction experience for businesses and the customers they serve,” said Michael Muriuki, VP Group Innovation and Software Engineering at Cellulant.
This partnership aligns with industry-wide efforts to promote interoperability, financial inclusion, and cost-effective digital payments.
By connecting banks and fintechs, the Pesalink–Cellulant integration demonstrates how collaborative infrastructure can unlock new opportunities for businesses and consumers.
Kenya’s digital payments market is projected to reach $9.36 billion (KSh 1.2 trillion) in 2025, with mobile money payments accounting for $5.85 billion(KSh 755.5 billion).
Pesalink currently processes KSh 4 billion daily, with monthly transaction volumes exceeding KSh 110 billion, reflecting a 41% year-on-year growth.
The network is a cornerstone of Kenya’s financial infrastructure, enabling interbank transfers, bill payments, and merchant transactions.
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