Leading Kenyan mobile operator Safaricom will over the next three weeks conduct a major upgrade of the M-Pesa platform, allowing for the deployment of new features and the automation of processes.

It will be the third major upgrade since M-Pesa's launch ten years ago, and the first since Safaricom migrated the platform to Kenya in 2015.

The upgrade will allow customers to benefit from an increase in the number of partners offering their services on the enhanced M-Pesa platform. This will be made possible through a new set of APIs simplifying the process of integration into M-Pesa.

In addition to providing for new customer features, automation of different M-Pesa procedures will eliminate the current requirement for customers and merchants to make such requests to the call centre.

Safaricom said it will gradually deploy new features and services over the coming months. Among the new features that customers can look forward to include M-Shwari and KCB M-Pesa implementation in the Safaricom App.

"Ten years ago, we began the journey of M-Pesa by focusing on our customers' need to send money home. Since then, we have experienced tremendous growth as the platform has grown to provide even more value to the ecosystem. This upgrade paves the way for the next phase of M-Pesa and will enable the service deliver even more value for our customers and partners," said Bob Collymore, Chief Executive Officer of Safaricom.

As a result of the upgrade process, all M-Pesa services will be unavailable for a period of two hours on June 30, between 1am and 3am EAT. International Money Transfer (IMT), KCB M-Pesa, M-Shwari and M-Kesho services will be unavailable on July 5 at the same times.

Safaricom will conduct the changeover to the new platform in mid-July, resulting in a 12 hour outage.

A number of M-Pesa services will also be sequentially withdrawn in the lead to the changeover. This will be communicated to M-Pesa customers and partners through the media and Safaricom social channels.