Pesapal
“Can an African payments aggregator turn merchant transaction data into an embedded credit and financial-services platform for SMEs?”
Founded2009
HQNairobi, Kenya
FoundersAgosta Liko
IndustryFintech / Payments (Africa)
The story
Pesapal began in 2009 as a Kenyan online payments aggregator bridging cards and mobile money (notably M-Pesa). Over time it built out POS hardware, an online checkout/API, and vertical products (Ticketsasa for events, Reserveport for hospitality, SABI POS). In 2024–2025 it moved beyond pure acceptance into embedded credit via a partnership with Sokohela, leveraging merchant transaction data to underwrite working-capital loans — positioning itself as a financial OS for African SMEs rather than just a payment gateway.
Product timeline
2009
Pesapal founded in Nairobi as an online payments aggregator· founding
2020
Expanded POS offering combining M-Pesa and card acceptance on one device· product
2024
Launched Pesapal Credit (working capital loans) in partnership with Sokohela· lending
2025
Pesapal Credit expanded across Kenya and Uganda merchants· lending
Regulated entities
Payment Service Provider
Kenya (Central Bank of Kenya)
Pesapal Limited
Payment Service Provider
Tanzania (Bank of Tanzania)
Pesapal Tanzania
The stack
Payments / PSP
Pesapal Payment Gateway (self-operated)M-Pesa acceptance (self-operated)Visa acceptance (self-operated)Mastercard acceptance (self-operated)Pesapal POS (self-operated)Pesapal Online Checkout (self-operated)
Lending
Accounting
Accounting gap: significant