Josephine Njeri
Writer, Diaspora, Remittance & Online Earnings
Verified contributor
6+ years covering Kenyan financial services
Josephine Njeri is paybillke's diaspora and remittance specialist. Born in Nakuru, she lived and worked in the UK for six years before returning to Kenya in 2024. The experience of sending money home, and the frustration of doing it badly the first dozen times, shapes her work. She covers the major remittance services (Wise, Sendwave, WorldRemit, Lemfi, Western Union, Remitly), PayPal-to-M-PESA workflows, M-PESA Global, and the legitimate online jobs Kenyans use to earn from anywhere. She writes for the Kenyan abroad and the Kenyan at home equally.
Areas of expertise
- Diaspora remittance corridors (UK, US, UAE, AU, CA, etc.)
- PayPal-to-M-PESA
- M-PESA Global
- International online jobs and freelance platforms
- Currency exchange and cost-comparison
Credentials
- Six years lived experience as a UK-based Kenyan-diaspora remitter
- Trained on UK Money & Mental Health Policy Institute reporting standards
Education
- MA, Financial Journalism, City University, London
- BCom, Marketing, Kenyatta University
Previously
- Diaspora finance contributor at UK-based African-community publications
- Marketing analyst at London-based fintech (2019-2023)
Articles by Josephine (35)
Bank SWIFT Codes in Kenya 2026, From Each Bank's Own Site
SWIFT codes for Equity, Co-op, NCBA, Absa, Stanbic, I&M and more, each read on the bank's own website with the link and date, and what to give someone sending you money from abroad.
5 min read
Is M-Akiba Open in 2026? Status of Kenya's Mobile Bond
M-Akiba is not open: CBK lists no M-Akiba issue since September 2019. What it was, and what to buy instead.
3 min read
Kenya VASP Act: Crypto Licence Status and 2026 Deadline
Where crypto licensing in Kenya stands: the VASP Act, the July 2026 Regulations, the one-year deadline and what CBK and CMA list.
4 min read
Shiriki Pay: Share Your M-PESA With Family, Limits and Setup
Safaricom Shiriki Pay from its own FAQ: up to 5 beneficiaries, up to KSh 20,000 each a month, how to set it up and what beneficiaries cannot do.
4 min read
CMA Licensed Stockbrokers in Kenya: Full List (2026)
Every investment bank and stockbroker on the Capital Markets Authority register, read 25 October 2026, and the steps to buy shares on the NSE.
7 min read
KES to USD Today: CBK Rate and What You Really Get
The Central Bank of Kenya's daily indicative rate for the shilling against the dollar, pound and euro, and why your bank, M-PESA or transfer app gives you less.
4 min read
How to Buy Treasury Bills in Kenya on DhowCSD (2026)
Buy a Treasury bill yourself on CBK DhowCSD from KSh 50,000: how to bid, when to pay, the tax, and what KSh 100,000 earns at the latest auction rates.
6 min read
M-PESA Go at 18: The Switch to Full M-PESA
On the 18th birthday, both parent and child visit a Safaricom shop with the child’s new National ID. SIM ownership transfers, restrictions drop, Fuliza / M-Shwari / KCB M-PESA / cash-out unlock. How to prep the teen before the switch.
6 min read
What Teens Can and Cannot Do on M-PESA Go 2026
A precise allowed / blocked list. Allowed: send, receive, Lipa na M-PESA, Buy Airtime, Ziidi. Blocked at product level: cash withdrawal, cash deposit, all credit (Fuliza / M-Shwari / KCB M-PESA / Halal Pesa), betting paybills, political party payments.
7 min read
M-PESA for salons and barbershops in Kenya 2026: Pochi, till, chair rentals
How Kenyan salons, barbershops, spas, and nail bars handle M-PESA in 2026. Pochi la Biashara vs a shared Buy Goods till, chair-rental vs employee models, tipping the stylist, KRA reality. Worked example for a 4-chair salon at KES 480k monthly.
10 min read
M-PESA for schools in Kenya 2026: paybill, admission numbers, eCitizen
How Kenyan schools collect fees on M-PESA in 2026. Why paybill (with admission number as account) is the only fit, term-based collection, eCitizen 222222 for public schools, KRA and MOE reporting, worked example for a 900-pupil primary at KES 12M termly.
11 min read
M-PESA for restaurants and cafes in Kenya 2026: till, tables, tips
How to run M-PESA in a Kenyan restaurant, cafe, or nyama choma joint in 2026. Buy Goods till vs POS, table-number references, splitting the bill, tips reconciliation, KRA and eTIMS. Worked example for a KES 1.8M monthly bistro.
11 min read
M-PESA Payment Gateway Kenya 2026: Daraja vs Kopo Kopo vs Pesapal
The Kenyan M-PESA payment gateway landscape compared for 2026. Setup complexity, fees, features and honest best-for across Daraja direct, Kopo Kopo, iPay, Pesapal, Cellulant and Flutterwave.
12 min read
How to Accept M-PESA Payments in Your Shop (2026): the complete guide
The complete beginner-owner guide. Pochi vs Buy Goods vs paybill vs POS integration, decision tree by business type, fees compared and the daily operations habits to install from day one.
12 min read
M-PESA Reconciliation Mismatch (2026): the diagnostic ladder
The six-cause ladder for M-PESA till mismatches: customer typo, duplicate, unlogged reversal, timing lag, POS mis-tag, pilferage. Isolate each in order before escalating to Safaricom.
10 min read
M-PESA Daily Till Reconciliation (2026): close the day cleanly
Step-by-step end-of-day reconciliation for an M-PESA till. Match sales to M-PESA statement lines, isolate the gap, cash-up procedure and the closing checklist. HowTo schema.
10 min read
M-PESA Business Pricing Summary (2026): every fee on one page
The single-table reference summarising every business-side M-PESA fee for 2026: Buy Goods, paybill, Pochi la Biashara, B2C bulk payment, settlement, statement request and PIN reset. Cross-linked to every deep-dive.
8 min read
M-PESA Paybill Charges for Businesses (2026): customer-pays vs business-pays
Safaricom charges KES 0 to 108 per paybill payment by band, and the business picks who pays: the customer, the business, or a split (Mgao). Full table and worked examples.
10 min read
M-PESA Business vs Personal (2026): fees, limits, tax and eTIMS
Which line to accept payments on, the fee and limit differences, and the KRA, iTax and eTIMS implications of running business revenue through a personal M-PESA number.
9 min read
How to Register for Equitel and Link It to Your Equity Account (2026)
Visit an Equity branch or agent with your original national ID. Open an Equity account on the spot if you do not have one. Physical SIM or eSIM. Plus how to link an existing Equitel line to Equity mobile banking.
6 min read
How to Pay a Paybill or Buy Goods With Equitel (2026)
Dial *247#, choose Pay Bill, enter the paybill and account, confirm with PIN. Money moves straight from your Equity account. Also covers buy-goods and paybill 247247 for M-PESA to Equity.
6 min read
Kenya Safari Connectivity 2026: Maasai Mara, Amboseli and Beyond
Honest coverage guide for Kenya safari trips. What works in the Maasai Mara, Amboseli, Tsavo and Samburu, what fails, and how Starlink at premium camps has changed the picture in 2026.
9 min read
Best eSIM for Kenya (Tourists 2026): Safari, City and Coast
The tourist eSIM that beats the airport queue in Kenya. Kwetu runs on Safaricom 4G, sells from $6.15 for 1GB across seven days, and takes M-PESA or card at checkout. Coverage across Nairobi, Mombasa, the Maasai Mara and the coast.
9 min read
The Wise "no hidden fees" myth: what the marketing leaves out
Wise's marketing claim is mostly true vs PayPal and bank SWIFT: but there's still a small FX margin (0.1-0.3% above mid-market) plus a variable + fixed fee. We separate accurate framing from absolute claim.
7 min read
NSSF Tier II top-up Kenya 2026: the 30% return trick
How a salaried Kenyan can use NSSF Tier II voluntary top-up to claim KES 30,000/month tax deduction against PAYE. The math, the mechanics, who should max out, and the lock-up reality.
9 min read
Western Union to M-PESA: send money from anywhere to Kenya in 2026
WU now supports direct M-PESA payout. Send flow, real fees, and when WU still beats Wise or Sendwave.
9 min read
How to earn money with M-PESA in 2026: 12 legitimate ways
Twelve real, legal ways Kenyans earn through M-PESA in 2026, agent businesses, online freelancing, content monetization, savings interest. Plus the scams to avoid.
11 min read
PayPal alternatives in Kenya 2026: Wise, Payoneer, Skrill, Remitly compared
Six PayPal alternatives Kenyans actually use, with the use case where each one wins and the combination most freelancers should run.
11 min read
How to open a PayPal account from Kenya in 2026 (personal + business)
Personal vs business, documents required, the linked-bank requirement, common rejections, and the post-signup verification steps.
10 min read
Responsible gambling in Kenya 2026: limits, signs, and where to get help
Practical playbook for staying in control, deposit limits, self-exclusion, the GRA helpline, and how to support someone you are worried about.
10 min read
Cheapest way to send money to Kenya in 2026: providers compared
Wise, Sendwave, Remitly, WorldRemit, M-PESA Global, Western Union, and banks compared. Real all-in costs, FX margins, and which to use per corridor and amount.
12 min read
Online jobs in Kenya that pay via M-PESA: 12 legitimate options
Twelve real ways to earn online and receive payments via M-PESA. Plus the warning signs that distinguish a job from a scam.
11 min read
M-Pesa Global explained: cross-border send and receive
How M-Pesa Global lets you send and receive internationally. Costs, mechanics, and where it fits.
9 min read
How to use M-Pesa as a tourist or foreigner in Kenya
Visiting Kenya? Get set up at the airport in 30 minutes, what you need, what it costs, what to avoid.
8 min read
Sending money to Kenya from abroad, the 2026 paybill guide
How to pay a Kenyan paybill from London, New York, Dubai, or Sydney, fees, FX, and the cheapest route.
14 min read
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