Safaricom is refining its My OneApp platform after early migration challenges exposed gaps in customer onboarding, authentication, and user accessibility, with the telecommunications company now positioning the experience as an opportunity to build a more secure and comprehensive digital ecosystem.
Conceived as a single gateway bringing together connectivity, financial services, digital products, and enterprise offerings, the application represents one of Safaricom's most ambitious digital integration projects, designed to replace multiple standalone platforms with a unified customer experience that serves both individual and business subscribers.
The company developed My OneApp to consolidate services previously spread across the MySafaricom and M PESA applications, together with other digital offerings, into one platform.
Rather than requiring customers to switch between separate applications, Safaricom envisioned a single destination where users could access mobile connectivity, mobile money, fixed internet services, digital products, and other offerings after one secure login.
Peter Ndegwa, Safaricom Group Chief Executive Officer, likened the concept to a shopping mall where customers find everything they need under one roof rather than visiting multiple destinations.
The application was initially launched as a minimum viable product, allowing new features and improvements to be introduced progressively as customer feedback shaped future development.
“The team's expectation was that the transition would be organic, but they did not understand that there are probably half a million people who have auto update,” said Ndegwa.
The rollout encountered unexpected friction when customers whose devices automatically updated to My OneApp were required to complete a new authentication process before accessing services.
To strengthen security, the company introduced banking grade verification requiring customers to authenticate themselves using their registered SIM card and receive a One Time Password before completing their first login.
While the approach strengthened account protection, many users were caught unprepared when they attempted to access services, creating frustration at a moment when they expected uninterrupted access.
The authentication requirements proved particularly challenging for customers living abroad and those using roaming services, many of whom relied primarily on WiFi while keeping their Safaricom SIM cards inactive.
“For our clients in the diaspora, we realised that for the most part, they were not using their SIM. They were using WiFi. But the first login had to be done on the SIM,” said Ndegwa.
The experience revealed customer usage patterns that had not been fully considered during development, prompting Safaricom to begin designing dedicated solutions for diaspora users and customers in different international markets whose connectivity habits differ from those within Kenya.
Safaricom responded by establishing a Crisis Management Team responsible for documenting customer complaints, analysing technical issues, and coordinating system improvements across the organisation.
The company reviewed every reported issue, from minor usability challenges to major access failures, while accelerating software updates intended to improve platform stability and overall performance.
According to Ndegwa, the latest Android version has already generated encouraging customer feedback, while further refinements continue for the iOS version as engineers address configuration related challenges across different devices and operating environments.
“What I believe will happen is that we'll get this app to a very different level, to a much better customer experience and UI, UX, and even security standard than we would ever have got,” said Ndegwa.
He added that the rollout had uncovered customer needs that would otherwise have remained hidden, particularly among diaspora and roaming users, allowing Safaricom to incorporate those insights into future development.
Rather than viewing the launch solely through the lens of its early setbacks, the company believes the experience has accelerated product improvement and reinforced the value of designing digital services with continuous customer feedback, laying the foundation for a stronger and more resilient platform capable of serving millions of users over the long term.
