Running a business in Kenya without a cashless payment solution means missing out on millions of potential customers. Safaricom has simplified the onboarding process with the M-PESA Business Hub, allowing business owners to self-apply for a Lipa Na M-PESA Buy Goods Till or Paybill number directly online without stepping into a Care Centre.
What You Need Before You Start
Gathering your documents beforehand will speed up the application process. Requirements vary depending on your business structure:
1. Individual / Sole Proprietorship
- ID / Passport Copy: Front and back (PDF or JPEG)
- KRA PIN Certificate: Personal PIN for Individuals or Business PIN for Sole Proprietors
- Registration Certificate: (If registered as a Sole Proprietorship)
- Nominated Phone Number: Active Safaricom line registered under your name
Important Note for Individual (Personal) Till Applicants
⚠️ What You Need to Know Before Registering as an Individual:
- No Registered Business Needed: You do NOT need a business registration certificate or a business name to apply for an Individual Till. All you need is your personal National ID (front and back) and your personal KRA PIN.
- Name Assignment: The Till name will automatically default to your official name as it appears on your National ID / M-PESA registration (e.g., JOHN DOE).
- Changing the Till Name: If you want your Till to display a custom trading/business name (e.g., Mama Boaz Groceries or Juma Tech Services), Safaricom requires a formal Business Registration Certificate (BN3) or Sole Proprietorship documents. To get a custom name, you must apply under the Sole Proprietor category instead of Individual.
2. Limited Liability Company (LLC)
- Certificate of Incorporation
- CR12 Certificate: Issued within the last 6 months
- Company KRA PIN Certificate
- Directors’ ID Copies & KRA PINs
- Resolution Letter: Formally requesting the M-PESA service on company letterhead
Step-by-Step Application Guide
1.Access the Portal: https://hub.m-pesaforbusiness.co.ke/merchant-onboarding/self-onboarding.
Navigate to the M-PESA Business Self-Onboarding Portal on your phone or desktop browser. Create a new account using your email address and nominated phone number, or log in if you have an existing application.
2.Select Your Business Category:
Choose the structure that best describes your business:
- Individual: Self-employed service providers operating under a personal name.
- Sole Proprietor: Formally registered business owned by an individual.
- Limited Liability Company (LLC): Registered corporate entities.
- Public / Other: NGOs, government entities, or educational institutions.
3.Choose Your Preferred M-PESA Product:
Select the solution that fits your operational needs:
- Lipa na M-PESA Buy Goods (Till Number): Best for retail outlets, supermarkets, hardware stores, and restaurants where customers pay directly for goods or services.
- Lipa na M-PESA Paybill: Ideal for services that require account numbers (e.g., utility bills, school fees, subscription services, or rent collection).
- One Account / B2C: For businesses looking to handle both payment collections and disbursements (e.g., salary payouts or supplier transfers).
4.Upload Required Documents & Submit:
Fill in your business details (Business Name, Location, Contact Person) and upload crisp, clear scans or photos of your supporting documents. Review your submission carefully and click Submit.
5.Track & Activate:
After submission, you will receive a reference tracking number via SMS and email. Safaricom typically reviews applications within 24 to 48 hours. Once approved, your Till or Paybill details along with your operator PINs will be sent to your nominated Safaricom line.
Key Benefits & Fee Breakdown
| Feature | Lipa Na M-PESA Buy Goods (Till) | Lipa Na M-PESA Paybill |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction Charges | 0.55% per transaction (capped at KSh 200) | Varies based on account tariffs (paid by customer, merchant, or shared) |
| Micro-Transactions | Collections KSh 500 and below are FREE | Applicable transaction fees based on tariff tier |
| Primary Use Case | Point-of-sale retail over-the-counter payments | Invoice-based payments requiring account number reconciliation |
| Fund Access | Withdraw directly to agent/bank or transfer to M-PESA line | Real-time settlement directly to a linked bank account or M-PESA |
Helpful Tips for a Smooth Application
- Match Names Exactly: Ensure the registered owner name on your Safaricom SIM card matches the ID and KRA PIN uploaded.
- Clear Document Scans: Blurred images or cut-off document edges are the primary reasons for application rejections.
- Nominated Line: Make sure your nominated M-PESA line does not have any active overdraft restrictions (such as Fuliza defaults) that might affect initial account setup.
How to Link Your M-PESA Till or Paybill to Pay Hero Kenya
Once your Lipa Na M-PESA Buy Goods Till or Paybill number is active, integrating it with Pay Hero Kenya allows you to automate payment collections, receive instant STK Push prompts on your checkout pages, trigger automated webhooks/callbacks to your systems, and view a unified transaction ledger without building complex custom integrations from scratch.
What You Need Before Linking
- An active M-PESA Buy Goods Till or Paybill number issued by Safaricom.
- Access to the primary M-PESA Web Portal / M-PESA Business Hub credentials (or operator credentials assigned to the shortcode).
- A registered Pay Hero Kenya account (app.payhero.co.ke).
Step-by-Step Integration Guide
1.Sign In to Your Pay Hero Account:Access your merchant dashboard.
Log in to your Pay Hero Dashboard. If you don’t have an account yet, create one using your active email address and phone number.
2.Navigate to Payment Channels:
From the left sidebar, click on Payment Channels (or Accounts & Tills) and select Add New Channel.
3.Select Your Channel Type:
Choose the channel matching your M-PESA service:
- Buy Goods (Till Number): For store/retail collections and instant online STK prompts.
- Paybill Number: For account-based collections or utility/subscription billings.
4.Configure Account & API Credentials:
Enter your M-PESA channel parameters:
- Business Name / Channel Name: A clear label for internal tracking (e.g., Main Store Till).
- Till / Paybill Number: Enter the shortcode provided by Safaricom.
- Consumer Key & Consumer Secret: (For direct Daraja/App integrations) Provide your Safaricom Developer keys if linking custom credentials, or authorize Pay Hero’s automated channel link via the M-PESA Business Hub operator credentials.
- Callback / Webhook URL: (Optional for developers) Enter your web server endpoint to receive real-time JSON notifications whenever a payment clears.
5.Test and Verify the Connection:
Run a live test transaction:
- Initiate a minimal payment (e.g., KSh 10) through your Pay Hero checkout link or STK push trigger.
- Enter your M-PESA PIN on your phone prompt.
- Check your Pay Hero dashboard under Transactions—the status should instantly transition to SUCCESSFUL with the customer details and M-PESA receipt code logged.
Key Benefits of Linking M-PESA to Pay Hero
| Feature | Direct Safaricom Daraja API | Pay Hero Connected Channel |
| Setup Time | Days to weeks (requires app approval & custom backend) | Go live in minutes via ready-to-use API or plug-and-play checkout |
| STK Push Automation | Requires custom server-side coding for phone prompts | Built-in STK Push via REST API or direct payment links |
| Reconciliation & Dashboard | Raw SMS or basic CSV downloads | Unified ledger with live analytics, search, and SMS alerts |
| Webhooks & Callbacks | Manual payload parsing & retries handling | Reliable callbacks with automatic retry mechanisms |
Pro-Tips for Developers & Business Owners
- Keep Webhook URLs HTTPS-Secured: If you are feeding transactions directly into your web app or CRM, ensure your server accepts POST requests over
https://. - API Key Management: Navigate to Settings > API Keys in Pay Hero to copy your
Basic Author API authorization tokens securely when integrating with custom web apps (Laravel, Vue, React, or WordPress). - Automate Payouts: Pay Hero also supports automated payouts (B2C/Bank transfers) directly out of your collected balance or linked bank account once configured in the dashboard settings.
