Mastercard to empower 100,000 micro merchants in Kenya through Masterpass QR

MasterCard has given access to Masterpass QR to over 100,000 micro merchants in Kenya in a quest to drive financial inclusion.

Masterrpass QR is a mobile driven, Person-to-Merchant payment solution that will be introduced in February through various financial institutions and other partners in the market.

Delivering efficient, secure and cost-effective acceptance solutions to Kenyan micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) is an essential step to providing the support required to grow and develop their businesses. With at least 80 percent of the country’s most critical jobs found in the MSME sector, according to Kenya’s Micro & Small Enterprises Authority, it is vital to introduce solutions that drive operational efficiency in these businesses.

Masterpass QR provides a fast, convenient and secure payment solution for consumers and a reliable and instant acceptance offering for merchants. Cash is no longer required, making transacting safer for merchants who won’t have to worry about carrying large sums of cash.

MSMEs have traditionally struggled with the cost of installing payment infrastructure such as point-of-sale devices, as well as with issues of security surrounding payments. Masterpass QR combats these challenges in a simple and user-friendly manner, helping to stimulate the economy by digitizing a sector that’s been dependent on cash-based transactions.

“Kenyans are entrepreneurial by nature and there are incredibly exciting business ideas coming from the region. We want to help these business owners to grow and prosper by delivering solutions that meet the needs of these business owners,” said Daniel Monehin, Division President for Sub-Saharan Africa and head of Financial Inclusion for International Markets at Mastercard.

The mobile solution is available via various mobile banking applications in Kenya. Consumers are guaranteed the security of being able to pay for in-store purchases by scanning thevQR (Quick Response) code displayed at the checkout on their smartphones, or by entering a merchant identifier into their feature phones. Users are able to use the solution at any location where Masterpass QR is accepted, locally and across the continent.

Mastercard is committed to helping micro merchants across Africa by working with various partners across a multitude of sectors. Masterpass QR is currently being rolled out in Nigeria, Ghana, Rwanda, Uganda and Tanzania, and will soon be in a number of other countries across the continent.

Monehin said, “Kenya is leading the charge in financial inclusion, with the World Bank reporting that 75 percent of its citizens over the age of 15 have a bank account. Masterpass QR has the potential to drive that number up further and more rapidly due to the penetration of mobile devices in the market. Technology is playing an important role to ensuring all citizens have access to solutions that help move them beyond cash.”