Story and Photography by: Abel Muhatia for The Star, Kenya
(Above) A screenshot of Almarai clothing page on facebook.
Social media platform Facebook is in talks with mobile payment service providers in the country to introduce local billing on its advertising platform.
The developments were confirmed yesterday by the firms’ regional director Nunu Nshitsingila during a media briefing on their ongoing developments in the country. This follows a recent announcement of the same in Nigeria and South Africa.
Once introduced, users will pay for adverts using Mpesa and Airtel Money among other emerging mobile payment channels.
“For Facebook, the key to making services relevant to Kenyans is by walking with the Kenya tech-eco system to help us localize our tools for the local consumers,” Afigbo said.
“These conversations are ongoing, it is not as easy as it may seem as it involves a lot of regulations. However, our aim is to ensure it is as restrictionless as possible,” Nshitsingila said.
According to Facebook’s head of Platform Partnerships for Middle East & Africa Emeka Afigbo, the delay is not due to the technology involved, but regulation and working with local partners to do the integration.
Since the introduction of the platform in 2004, corporates and independent users have been making payments using debit cards, Pay-pal and other virtual credit payment methods in specific countries such as India.
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