Global payments technology company, Visa has partnered with Kenyan online payment gateway, JamboPay to enable its merchants to facilitate mVisa Payments.

As reported by techarena, the strategic partnership will enable more than 3 000 JamboPay merchants to accept mVisa payments, further enhancing mobile commerce in Kenya.

According to the report, consumers will now be able to use Visa's mobile payment solution, mVisa, at leading restaurants and supermarkets, and to pay for utilities such as water, power, as well as key services offered by county governments under JamboPay.

"Visa's partnership with JamboPay is another key move as part of our strategy to expand merchant acceptance for mVisa in Kenya," says Sunny Walia, general manager, East Africa for Visa.

"Each of JamboPay's merchants will be provided with a QR code by their bank that customers can simply scan to make a payment directly from their bank account. Consumers can also make their payment using a USSD code giving them the ability to pay with a feature phone" he adds.

"We are very delighted about this partnership with VISA. It will provide our subscribers with a new channel for the JamboPay e-wallet top ups and payments for our clients that include; Java, SODEXO, Nairobi Water, Nairobi County Government, Trans-Nzoia County Government, NHIF, KASNEB, Uchumi, Kenya Buzz among others. We are certain this will result in increased revenues and better service delivery to our clients." Said Danson Muchemi, the CEO and Founder of JamboPay.

The mobile payment solution, mVisa, is backed by Visa's global payment network, which enables consumers to pay merchants or send money to friends and family directly from their bank account via their mobile banking app.

Payments done through mVisa get pushed directly from a consumer's bank account into a merchant's account and it provides real-time notifications to both parties. Consumers can pay merchants by scanning a QR code on a smart phone or by entering a merchant number on a feature phone.

The Kenya-based electronic payments service, JamboPay, founded in 2009 says it currently serves 3 000 clients in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania & Senegal and plans to expand to Rwanda and Malawi soon. It offers services including e-government payments processing, e-bills payments, e-commerce payments processing, supply chain payments automation, retail payments and electronic funds disbursements.