Safaricom Responds to Early My OneApp Access Friction With Wider Connectivity Support
The changes point to a broader effort by Safaricom to keep My OneApp usable across different internet connections as more customers move between SIM cards, broadband and roaming networks.
Safaricom has widened access to My OneApp by allowing customers to use the platform across rival mobile networks, Wi-Fi connections and roaming locations, extending M-PESA services beyond the company’s own connectivity layer.
The update addresses a problem that surfaced soon after the launch of My OneApp in April, when some users — particularly customers outside Kenya and those relying on foreign SIM cards or Wi-Fi networks — reported difficulty accessing services through the platform. In some cases, users experienced login failures, stalled transactions and restrictions linked to network compatibility.
Safaricom says customers can now access key services regardless of the connection source being used, including money transfers, bill payments, loans, savings products and account management tools.
The changes reflect a broader adjustment in how telecom operators are designing digital platforms around user behaviour. Smartphone users increasingly move between mobile networks, broadband connections and public Wi-Fi depending on cost, location and signal quality. That has reduced the practical value of keeping financial applications tightly linked to a single operator’s infrastructure.
For Safaricom, the issue carried additional weight because My OneApp sits directly on top of services already embedded in everyday financial activity. M-PESA transactions, airtime purchases and account management are routine functions for millions of customers, including Kenyans living abroad who continue using the platform to manage household payments and transfers back home.
The company’s earlier rollout exposed how quickly platform instability can affect those routines once financial tools are folded into a broader application environment. Unlike entertainment or lifestyle apps, disruptions within mobile money ecosystems immediately affect access to payments and account services.
That operational pressure appears to have shaped the latest update. By allowing access through competing networks and overseas internet connections, Safaricom is reducing dependence on its own mobile coverage while preserving customer access to the wider M-PESA ecosystem.
The company has also introduced biometric approvals through fingerprint and Face ID authentication, replacing the previous PIN-only process for supported transactions.
Customers can activate the feature through the profile section of the app before confirming access with their M-PESA PIN.
The addition aligns My OneApp more closely with authentication standards now common across banking and fintech platforms, where device-based verification has become standard for account access and transaction approvals.
The update also highlights how competition around telecom applications is increasingly centred on platform retention rather than network exclusivity. Customers frequently switch between SIM cards and internet providers, particularly in markets where users manage data costs aggressively. In that environment, keeping users connected to the service layer matters more than controlling every point of connectivity.
My OneApp was launched as part of Safaricom’s effort to consolidate telecom services, payments and digital products within a single interface. The platform combines M-PESA functions with traditional account management features and supports additional services through mini-app integrations.
As operators expand those ecosystems, reliability is becoming part of the competitive equation. Financial platforms that serve as daily transaction infrastructure face far lower tolerance for access failures or authentication friction, especially among users managing accounts remotely.
Safaricom’s latest update suggests the company is now refining My OneApp around continuity of access as much as feature expansion.
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