NSE investors to buy, sell shares directly via M-Pesa

Kenyans may soon be able to buy and sell Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) shares directly from M-PESA, following a new pilot feature being tested by Safaricom.

The feature, known as Ziidi Trader, is built inside the M-PESA app and aims to make stock trading easier for everyday users by removing the need for separate brokerage platforms.

What is Ziidi Trader?

Ziidi Trader is a new in-app trading tool that allows M-PESA users to access NSE-listed shares in one place. The service is designed with a modern, dark-themed interface and simple navigation for beginners.

From early test screens, users can:

• View their investment portfolio

• Track price movements and performance

• Create watchlists

• Receive share price alerts

• Monitor dividends

All of this happens without leaving the M-PESA app, making share trading more accessible to retail investors.

Direct M-PESA deposits and withdrawals

One major advantage of Ziidi Trader is direct integration with M-PESA. Users will be able to:

• Deposit money straight from their M-PESA wallet

• Withdraw proceeds back to M-PESA instantly

This removes common barriers such as bank transfers and third-party apps, which have discouraged many first-time investors from joining the stock market.

Boosting participation at the NSE

By linking mobile money with stock trading, Safaricom could significantly increase participation at the Nairobi Securities Exchange.

Millions of Kenyans already trust M-PESA for daily transactions, and bringing shares into the same ecosystem may help grow local investment culture, especially among young and first-time traders.

Ziidi builds on the success of Ziidi Money Market Fund

Ziidi Trader follows the strong performance of the Ziidi Money Market Fund (MMF), which Safaricom launched in December 2024 in partnership with Standard Investment Bank and ALA Capital.

The Ziidi MMF allows users to invest from as little as KSh 100, with:

• Daily interest earnings

• Instant access to funds via M-PESA

By June 30, 2025, the fund had grown assets under management to KSh 10.68 billion, showing rising demand for digital investment products.

M-PESA remains Safaricom’s growth engine

According to Safaricom’s half-year financial results for FY2026, released on November 6, 2025, M-PESA continues to drive growth:

• Contributed 45.4% of total service revenue

• Revenue grew 14% year-on-year to KSh 88.06 billion

• Supported by 62.27 million customers, including 46.44 million active users

Safaricom CEO Peter Ndegwa has previously stated that the company is focused on turning M-PESA into a complete financial services platform, covering payments, savings, insurance, and investments.

What this means for Kenyans

If fully rolled out, Ziidi Trader could:

• Make share trading simpler and cheaper

• Encourage more Kenyans to invest locally

• Strengthen the link between mobile money and capital markets

For many users, this could be the first time investing in NSE shares, using a tool they already trust—M-PESA.

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