Buying Airtime

Buy airtime is a service that allows you to purchase airtime via funds available in your M-PESA.

You can buy airtime for self or other numbers. This service is available via the following channels:

Safaricom Menu or SIM Toolkit
M-PESA Super App
MySafaricom App
USSD *334#

A. Buy Airtime via Safaricom Menu

Go to Safaricom Menu or SIM Toolkit
Select M-PESA
Select Buy Airtime or Bundles
Slecet Buy Airtime
Select My Phone (if you intend to buy airtime for your line) or Select Other Phone (if you would like to buy airtime to other number).

B. Buy Airtime on M-PESA Super App

Launch the M-PESA Super App
Select Airtime icon
Select either “Buy For My Number” or “Buy for Oher Number”
- If buying for another number, enter the number and amount you wish to spend on airtime
Select enter amount and confirm
Complete the transaction using M-PESA PIN or biometric authentication

C. Buy Airtime on My Safaricom App

Launch My Safaricom App.
On the home screen, select Airtime Top up
- You can buy airtime through M-PESA or top up with a scratch card.
If buying airtime using M-PESA, select M-PESA option
Select either top-up to “My Number” or “Other Number”
- If buying for another number, enter the number or select number from phone book
Enter amount or select from the denomination displayed on the screen
A pop-up message appears, select buy
Enter your M-PESA PIN
A pop-up message appears showing the transaction details. Select done.

Top-up via Scratch Card using My Safaricom App:

Launch My Safaricom app
Select Airtime Top Up
Select Scratch Card
Select either “My Number” (if you intend to load your own line) or “Other Number” (if you intend to load other number)
Enter 16 Digit PIN Number on scratch card.
Select Top up
You also have an option to Scan Scratch Card

D. Buy Airtime via USSD:

Dial *334#
Select buy airtime
Choose either my phone or other phone
- To buy for other number enter the number or choose from the phonebook
Enter the amount you wish to spend on airtime
Enter M-PESA PIN
- If buying for another number, Hakikisha prompt will pop up that prompts you to either select Accept or 2. Cancel.
You will receive a pop-up confirmation that your request is being processed and an SMS confirmation that the airtime purchase was successful.

Note: Hakikisha service will allow M-PESA customers to confirm the names of the recipient to validate a Send money, Buy Airtime, Lipa na M-PESA or M-PESA Agent Withdrawal transaction.

Minimum Airtime purchase is Kshs. 5; maximum is Ksh 10,000.

There is no transaction fee charged when buying airtime.