NAIROBI, Kenya, June 19 – Airtel Money customers will now be able to deposit and withdraw cash through more than 22,000 agents operated by KCB Bank Kenya following a new partnership aimed at expanding access to mobile money services across the country.
The agreement allows Airtel Money users to conduct transactions at KCB agents using a registered Airtel Money account and a valid identification document. Deposits will be free, while standard withdrawal charges will apply.
The partnership marks another step in the growing integration between banks and mobile money providers as financial institutions seek to expand service access and improve convenience for customers.
Airtel Money Kenya Managing Director Anne Kinuthia-Otieno said the arrangement will bring financial services closer to customers by leveraging KCB’s extensive agent network.
“By opening access to KCB’s extensive agent network, we are bringing Airtel Money services closer to more Kenyans and making it easier for customers to deposit and withdraw money wherever they are,” she said.
The partnership comes as competition intensifies in Kenya’s mobile money market, with providers increasingly relying on collaborations to grow transaction volumes and deepen financial inclusion, particularly in underserved areas.
KCB Bank Kenya Managing Director Annastacia Kimtai said interconnected financial ecosystems are becoming increasingly important in expanding access to digital financial services.
“What we are doing is recognizing the fact that diverse and interconnected opportunities are still core to the mobile money value proposition. Reaching critical mass will require mobile money ecosystems to become more dynamic and productive,” she said.
The agreement is also expected to strengthen KCB’s agency banking business, which remains a major transaction channel for the lender.
Banks have increasingly shifted customers toward digital and agency banking platforms as they seek to lower operating costs and improve service delivery beyond traditional branch networks.
