By Jeff Kizzilah
Airtel Money Partners with I&M Bank to Enable Direct Paybill Payments and Offer 50% Cashback to Customers
Airtel Money MD Anne Kinuthia-Otieno and I&M Bank Regional CEO and Interim CEO I&M Bank Kenya Kihara Maina during the signing of a partnership
Airtel Money customers across Kenya can now make seamless payments to I&M Bank merchants following a new partnership between Airtel Money and I&M Bank Kenya. The collaboration is set to enhance Kenya’s digital commerce landscape, offering customers faster transactions, simplified payment journeys, and improved financial accessibility.
As part of the rollout, Airtel Money customers will enjoy a 50% guaranteed cashback in airtime on all Paybill payments made to I&M Bank merchants—an incentive designed to encourage wider adoption of digital payments.
“Airtel Money recognizes that more than 90% of Paybills in Kenya are bank Paybills. By partnering with I&M Bank, we are easing wallet funding and bill payments for our customers while giving them access to an expanded merchant network,” said Anne Kinuthia-Otieno, Airtel Money Kenya Managing Director.
She added that the partnership will make digital payments “easier, faster, and more secure,” reinforcing Airtel Money’s commitment to financial inclusion.
The initiative enhances how customers send money, settle bills, and manage their finances securely from their mobile phones. It aims to empower SMEs, improve digital efficiency, and open new opportunities for entrepreneurs across the country.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Kihara Maina, I&M Bank Regional CEO and Interim CEO, I&M Bank Kenya, celebrated the collaboration as a major leap toward interconnected digital ecosystems.
“We are delighted to partner with Airtel Money to make payments to I&M merchants seamless and universally accessible. This is a concrete step in our regional digital strategy—deepening interoperability, broadening financial access, and supporting the merchants and small businesses that power our economies,” he said.
Maina added that this Kenyan partnership builds on the already successful collaboration between Airtel Money Tanzania and I&M Bank Tanzania, strengthening the shared vision of building integrated digital payment ecosystems across East Africa.
The regional approach allows both institutions to scale innovations efficiently and deliver consistent digital banking experiences, reinforcing I&M Group’s strategy of borderless banking and Airtel Money’s position as a leading regional mobile money provider.
How to Pay I&M Merchants Using Airtel Money
Airtel Money customers can use *USSD 334# or the MyAirtel App to make payments using the I&M Paybill number 542542.
USSD Method (334#):
1. Dial *334#
2. Select Paybill & Till Payments
3. Select Airtel Paybill
4. Enter Paybill Number: 542542
5. Enter the merchant reference number (displayed by the merchant)
6. Enter Amount
7. Enter PIN to complete the transaction
MyAirtel App:
1. Open the MyAirtel App
2. Select Paybill
3. Select Airtel Paybill
4. Enter Paybill Number: 542542
5. Enter merchant reference number
6. Enter Amount
7. Enter PIN
