Safaricom has unveiled a new service, Ziidi Trader, a groundbreaking platform that allows everyday M-PESA users to buy and sell shares on the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) directly from their phones.
The service is designed to remove traditional barriers that have long kept many Kenyans on the sidelines of the stock market, opening up opportunities for broader citizen participation and ownership.
“Today marks a shift in how everyday M-PESA users can access the stock market. #ZiidiTrader is officially launching, bringing the ability to buy and sell NSE shares directly inside M-PESA, without the traditional barriers that have kept many people on the sidelines,” Safaricom said in a post on X.
Speaking at the launch, President William Ruto described the platform as “a historic leap forward in our quest to liberalise financial services, deepen inclusion, and empower citizens through technology, investment, savings, and wealth creation.”
President William Ruto delivering his remarks during the Safaricom Ziidi Trader launch in Nairobi on February 10,2026.PHOTO/PCSHe emphasized that the platform represents “a decisive turning point in how citizens engage with the stock exchange,” adding that it dismantles long-standing barriers and brings market participation closer to all citizens.
The integration of stock trading into M-PESA will enable millions of Kenyans, particularly youth and women, to access investments in shares, bonds, and other products listed on the NSE.
“Through the seamless integration of stock trading into the M-PESA platform, millions of Kenyans will gain simple, affordable, and convenient access to investments, placing the tools of ownership and growth directly in their hands,” the President said.
President William Ruto and other government officials during the Safaricom Ziidi Trader launch in Nairobi on February 10,2026.PHOTO/PCSPresident Ruto also highlighted the government’s commitment to strengthening Kenya’s financial markets through strategic reforms, including the structured privatization of state-owned enterprises such as the ongoing Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) divestiture.
“By listing strategic state-owned enterprises, countries strengthen market depth and liquidity, attract global capital, and elevate their markets from frontier to emerging,” he explained.
The President further noted that these reforms are aligned with Kenya’s broader 10-year development agenda, which includes dualing 2,500 kilometers of highways, constructing 50 mega dams, and increasing energy capacity to 10,000 megawatts.
“Delivering this scale of transformation requires mobilising close to Sh5 trillion, and we intend to achieve this without imposing additional burdens on taxpayers or accumulating unsustainable debt,” Ruto said, stressing the central role of capital markets and platforms like the NSE in financing national priorities.
Highlighting recent successes, the President pointed out that “over the past two years, driven by deliberate government reforms, the NSE has recorded one of its strongest performances in more than a decade. Last year alone, total market capitalization expanded by approximately 48 per cent, rising from Sh1.968 trillion to about Sh3 trillion.”
President William Ruto attends the official launch of the Ziidi Trader at Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE), Westlands, Nairobi on February 10, 2026 PHOTOS/PCSPresident Ruto concluded by congratulating Safaricom for the launch, calling it “an important market-shaping milestone,” and urged all stakeholders to continue building “a vibrant and inclusive capital market ecosystem” that enables more Kenyans to participate in wealth creation.
