The verdict in three sentences
In 2026, mobile money merchant fees across East Africa are not standardised: they swing between 1 % and 2 % depending on the operator and country. For a merchant collecting online, that 1-point gap is about 150 FCFA equivalent on an average 15 000 FCFA basket, adding up to hundreds of thousands per year at steady volume. The smart move: offer several operators and route intelligently toward the cheapest one your customer accepts.
The 2026 fee grid, operator by operator
The figures below are 2026 orders of magnitude for merchant collections, excluding one-off promotions. Real fees depend on your merchant contract and negotiated volume.
| Operator | Merchant fee | Cap / transaction | Daily cap | Settlement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| M-Pesa | 1.5 – 2 % | ~1 000 000 FCFA eq. | ~3 000 000 FCFA eq. | T+1 |
| Airtel Money | 1 – 1.5 % | ~1 500 000 FCFA eq. | ~5 000 000 FCFA eq. | T+1 to T+2 |
| MTN MoMo | 1 – 2 % | ~1 000 000 FCFA eq. | ~3 000 000 FCFA eq. | T+1 to T+3 |
| Tigo Pesa | 1.5 % | ~500 000 FCFA eq. | ~2 000 000 FCFA eq. | T+1 |
| HaloPesa | 1.5 – 2 % | ~500 000 FCFA eq. | ~1 500 000 FCFA eq. | T+1 |
| Wave (regional) | 1 % | ~1 000 000 FCFA eq. | ~2 000 000 FCFA eq. | T+1 |
| T-Kash | 1.5 – 2 % | ~500 000 FCFA eq. | ~1 500 000 FCFA eq. | T+1 |
| Equitel | 1.5 % | ~500 000 FCFA eq. | ~2 000 000 FCFA eq. | T+1 |
Two takeaways: Wave and Airtel pull fees down toward 1 %, while M-Pesa and MTN can double the bill on small volumes. Airtel's caps are the most generous, an asset for B2B.
What 1 point of fees really changes
East Africa shows roughly 55 % mobile money penetration in 2026 and an average B2C basket around 15 000 FCFA equivalent. Here is the fee impact across monthly volumes.
| Monthly volume collected | Fees at 1 % | Fees at 1.5 % | Fees at 2 % | 2 % vs 1 % overcost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 500 000 FCFA | 5 000 | 7 500 | 10 000 | 5 000 |
| 1 500 000 FCFA | 15 000 | 22 500 | 30 000 | 15 000 |
| 3 000 000 FCFA | 30 000 | 45 000 | 60 000 | 30 000 |
| 6 000 000 FCFA | 60 000 | 90 000 | 120 000 | 60 000 |
| 12 000 000 FCFA | 120 000 | 180 000 | 240 000 | 120 000 |
At 12 000 000 FCFA collected per month, moving from 2 % to 1 % saves 120 000 FCFA/month, or 1 440 000 FCFA/year — the price of a full e-commerce site.
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Mini case study
Grace runs a cosmetics store in Nairobi and collects 4 500 000 FCFA equivalent/month online, split 60 % via M-Pesa (1.5 %) and 40 % via Airtel (1 %). Current fees: (2 700 000 × 1.5 %) + (1 800 000 × 1 %) = 40 500 + 18 000 = 58 500/month. By showing Airtel first at checkout and nudging customers toward it, she shifts to 70 % Airtel / 30 % M-Pesa: (3 150 000 × 1 %) + (1 350 000 × 1.5 %) = 31 500 + 20 250 = 51 750/month. Savings: 6 750/month, 81 000/year, without losing a single sale.
FAQ
Are fees paid by the merchant or the customer? In most 2026 merchant setups the merchant absorbs the fee (1 to 2 %). Some operators let you pass it to the customer, but that hurts conversion.
Is Wave really always the cheapest? Wave posts a 1 % merchant fee, often the market floor. But coverage varies by country: in many East African markets M-Pesa and MTN remain unavoidable despite higher fees.
How long until I receive my money? Settlement ranges from T+1 (Wave, Airtel, Tigo) to T+3 on some MTN contracts. For cash flow, T+1 makes a real difference on large volumes.
Should I integrate every operator? No: integrate the 2 to 3 operators that cover 85 to 90 % of your customers in your target country. Needless integrations bloat maintenance.
How do I negotiate lower fees? Above 5 000 000 FCFA equivalent in monthly volume, most operators will discuss the rate. Present your real volumes and put operators in competition.
Let's talk about your project. We configure the right operator mix to minimise your fees and maximise conversions. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.