Most Nairobi churches now accept M-PESA giving as the default channel — easier than cash baskets, faster than bank transfers, and reconcilable to individual givers via the account-number field. This directory lists 20 verified church paybills (Catholic, Anglican, Pentecostal, Baptist, Vineyard) with notes on account format, what each church uses for designation, and the small things that trip up first-time givers.
Catholic churches
Archdiocese of Nairobi
Paybill: 522333. Account: your name + reason (e.g. "John Gogo - Donation", "St Hyppolitus Parish - Mission Sunday").
Covers 127 parishes across Nairobi and Kiambu counties. Use the Archdiocese paybill for donations that don't flow through your specific parish — Mission Sunday, archdiocesan appeals, Caritas Nairobi work.
Holy Family Minor Basilica
Paybill: 527500. Account: your name + giving purpose.
The Catholic Cathedral in Nairobi CBD. Use for tithe, offering, building fund, and parish contributions.
Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK)
All Saints' Cathedral, Nairobi
Main giving paybill: 303036. Account: giving category (Tithe, Offertory, Baptism, Confirmation, Organ Fund, etc.).
CTC (Children & Teens Centre) fund: 303035. Account: your mobile number.
All Saints separates regular church giving from the CTC programme — paying the wrong paybill credits the wrong fund. Always check before sending.
Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA)
PCEA Evergreen Parish
Main giving: 876552. Account: indicate the purpose (Tithe, Sunday School, etc.).
Sanctuary Fund: 770525. Account: your name.
PCEA Evergreen (Runda, Nairobi) keeps building project contributions on a separate paybill from regular giving — useful for the parish's reporting and for donors wanting clarity about fund use.
Pentecostal & Charismatic
CITAM (Christ Is The Answer Ministries)
Paybill: 933934. Account: the CITAM Assembly you attend, or just "Offering" / "Tithe".
One of Kenya's largest Pentecostal denominations with 30+ assemblies including Valley Road, Karen, Buruburu, Thika, Woodley, Embakasi, and many more. The same paybill serves all assemblies — designation by account.
Mavuno Church
Paybill: 508700. Account: your name + reason.
Mavuno (started 2005, Nairobi-based) has multiple branches across the city plus a network of plant churches in 16 African cities. The 508700 paybill serves the main Nairobi flock with branch-level reconciliation by account.
Jubilee Christian Church (JCC)
Paybill: 545700. Account name: "JCC".
Daughters of Zion (DOZ) women's ministry uses a separate paybill: 733355. Account: "DOZ".
JCC's clear separation between general church giving and the DOZ women's ministry helps the finance team allocate funds appropriately.
FEM Family Church
Paybill: 903070. Account: your partner number / name + reason.
Faith Evangelistic Ministry, based at Lang'ata Road in Nairobi. Sunday services run 09:00-11:00 with YouTube live broadcast.
Nairobi Lighthouse Church (NLC)
Paybill: 652652. Account: your giving number (if you have one) and category (tithe, offering, project extend, mission faith commitment).
Garden Estate Road, Nairobi. NLC offers individual giving numbers to members on request, which makes year-end giving statements easier to produce.
Baptist & Vineyard
Nairobi Baptist Church (NBC) — multi-assembly
Each NBC assembly has its own paybill so giving is allocated to the correct congregation:
- NBC Ngong Road — 516500 (founding assembly, adjacent to Daystar University)
- NBC Ongata Rongai — 498458
- NBC Westlands — 918367
- NBC Kibera — 907641
- NBC Kikuyu — 907606
- NBC Kitengela — 907642
Pay to the assembly you attend — payments to one assembly don't auto-credit to another. Account format: your name + giving category (Tithe, Mission, etc.).
Nairobi Chapel
Paybill: 508701. Account: the reason for giving (Tithe, Mission, Scholarship Fund, Uzima Daycare).
Jamhuri Road, off Ngong Road. Several ministry funds run through the same paybill via the account designation — Uzima Day Care, Jubilee Scholarship Fund, One Lamb, Kawangware Primary, Safe Families, Echo Africa, Tumaini Kwa Watoto.
Renewal Vineyard Church Nairobi
Paybill: 551727. Account: "Renewal".
Affiliated with the global Vineyard movement. Standing-order bank giving via NCBA Bank is also supported (A/C 1907960051).
Giving best practices
- Verify the paybill on the church's official site. Don't trust paybill numbers shared on WhatsApp or in mass SMS — verify on the church's .org / .co.ke / .info page or printed in the Sunday bulletin.
- Use a clear account designation. "John Mwangi - Tithe" beats "0712345678" — the church's finance team can match your giving to your member record more accurately.
- Save M-PESA confirmations. Particularly for large gifts or pledged amounts. The M-PESA SMS is the proof if there's a reconciliation question.
- Request a giving statement annually. Most churches will provide a statement of your year's giving on request. Useful for personal records and (in limited cases) tax purposes.
- Set up a standing order for tithe. Most major Kenyan banks let you set a recurring M-PESA payment to a paybill. Removes the discipline question — the gift goes whether you remember it or not.
Tax considerations on church giving
Donations to registered religious organisations and qualifying NGOs in Kenya can be tax-deductible in principle, but in practice:
- The receiving organisation must hold a valid charitable status certificate from KRA
- The donation must be receipted with a KRA-compliant receipt
- The deduction is capped at limits set in KRA's Income Tax Act
- Most regular tithing/offering payments don't generate KRA-compliant receipts — talk to your church's finance office and a tax adviser if you want to claim deductions
For most regular givers, the answer is: don't expect a tax deduction; give because you believe in the mission of the church. If you make a substantial one-off gift (KES 100,000+), ask the church about formal donation receipts before sending.
Giving from the diaspora
Kenyans abroad commonly support churches back home. Three approaches:
- Send M-PESA Global to a relative who pays the church paybill on your behalf. Lowest fee for most amounts.
- Use Wise / Sendwave / WorldRemit. Most major remittance services let you send directly to a Kenyan M-PESA number. Then your relative pays the church.
- Direct international bank wire to the church's bank account.Slower, more expensive, but generates a clear paper trail. Useful for large institutional donations.
See our diaspora remittance guide for fee comparisons across the major services.
FAQ
What is Mavuno's paybill?
508700. Account: your name + reason.
What is CITAM's paybill?
933934. Account: assembly attended OR "Offering" / "Tithe".
What is Nairobi Chapel's paybill?
508701. Account: reason for giving.
How do I confirm my church received the funds?
M-PESA SMS confirms the transaction. For confirmation that it credited to your church member record, contact the finance office with your M-PESA transaction code — they can usually verify within 24 hours.
Can I give to multiple ministries at the same church in one transaction?
No — each transaction goes to one designated fund. To give to multiple (tithe, mission, building fund), send separate M-PESA transactions with appropriate account designations.