Safaricom Daraja Awards Winners Reflect Expansion of the M-PESA API Ecosystem

The Safaricom Daraja Awards winners were announced at the close of Day 2 of Safaricom Decode 4.0, with Safaricom using the stage to recognise developers and firms building on its M-PESA APIs.

Led by Chief Financial Services Officer Esther Waititu, the awards focused on practical deployment, from high-volume infrastructure to grassroots financial access.

The selections point to Safaricom’s role as a platform operator, where external developers and partners extend M-PESA into sectors such as retail, agriculture, and web services.

Roamtech, Pesapal among Safaricom Daraja Awards winners

Roamtech Solutions won in M-PESA API traffic generation, recognised for routing large volumes of enterprise transactions through stable backend systems. Its infrastructure supports high-throughput connections between corporate platforms and M-PESA.

Pesapal took the merchant integration category, reflecting its role in onboarding thousands of businesses. Its API-driven tools have standardised how merchants accept payments across physical and digital storefronts.

Financial inclusion and developer ecosystem take focus

In the financial inclusion category, Amtech Technologies was awarded for integrating SACCO systems with M-PESA. The work enables members, including farmers and small traders, to transact remotely without visiting branches.

Individual contributors were also recognised. Peter Njeru received the developer community award for building peer support networks around M-PESA integrations, while Dennis Kaboro was cited for promoting simpler, developer-friendly system design that reduces integration timelines.

E-commerce automation reflects growing API use cases

The e-commerce and web automation category went to Emmanuel Mbithi of Enet Online Solutions, whose tools automate payment verification for online businesses. The systems allow merchants to operate continuously without manual reconciliation, addressing a long-standing friction point in local e-commerce.

Safaricom positions APIs as infrastructure layer

In closing remarks, Esther Waititu pointed to developers as central to expanding access and usability across the M-PESA ecosystem. The awards, she noted, reflect work that simplifies transactions and extends financial tools into everyday business activity.

The outcome places Safaricom less as a direct service provider and more as an infrastructure layer, where third-party developers shape how digital payments are applied across the economy.

Mark your calendars! The GreenShift Sustainability Forum is back in Nairobi this August. Join innovators, policymakers & sustainability leaders for a breakfast forum as we explore sustainable solutions shaping the continent’s future. Limited slots – Get your early bird tickets now – here. Email info@techtrendsmedia.co.ke for partnership requests.

Go to TECHTRENDSKE.co.ke for more tech and business news from the African continent and across the world. 

Follow us on WhatsApp, Telegram, Twitter, and Facebook, or subscribe to our weekly newsletter to ensure you don’t miss out on any future updates. Send tips to editorial@techtrendsmedia.co.ke