Paying Bills and Tills with Airtel Money (Including M-Pesa Paybills)

Updated 18 October 2026

Many people assume they need M-Pesa to pay a shop, a landlord or a utility. That is no longer true. Airtel Money can pay Lipa na M-Pesa tills and M-Pesa paybills directly, as well as Airtel’s own merchants and billers. This guide shows the exact steps for each type of payment, what it costs and how to avoid common mistakes.

Why This Matters

Kenya’s mobile money services are interoperable, which means money can move between M-Pesa, Airtel Money and T-Kash. For shoppers, it means you can keep money on Airtel Money and still pay almost any business. For traders, it means customers on Airtel can pay your existing M-Pesa till without you opening a separate account.

How to Pay an M-Pesa Buy Goods Till

1. Dial *334# on your Airtel line.
2. Select option 6, the payments menu.
3. Select M-Pesa till.
4. Enter the till number shown at the shop.
5. Enter the amount.
6. Enter your Airtel Money PIN and confirm.

Airtel says paying a Lipa na M-Pesa till from Airtel Money is free for the customer. Show the shopkeeper your confirmation message so they can match it on their side.

How to Pay an M-Pesa Paybill

1. Dial *334# and select option 6.
2. Select M-Pesa PayBill.
3. Enter the paybill number.
4. Enter the account number exactly as the biller gave it.
5. Enter the amount and your PIN.

This works for many school fees, SACCO contributions, rent paybills and loan repayments that only list an M-Pesa paybill. Learn common paybill mistakes in our guide to paying a paybill.

How to Pay an Airtel Money Paybill or Utility

1. Dial *334# and select Lipa na Airtel Money.
2. Choose Pay Bill.
3. Pick the biller from the list or enter the business number.
4. Enter the account number, such as your meter number, and the amount.
5. Confirm with your PIN.

Billers include KPLC, DStv, GOtv, water companies, eCitizen, Zuku and StarTimes. For electricity specifically, see our guide on buying KPLC tokens with Airtel Money.

How to Pay an Airtel Money Till

1. Dial *334# and select Lipa na Airtel Money.
2. Choose Buy goods and services.
3. Enter the merchant’s till number and the amount.
4. Confirm with your PIN.

Charges

Airtel’s Rudishiwa programme returns part of paybill fees as airtime, and Smarta Bundle users may get the full fee back. See our general Airtel Money charges guide.

Avoiding Mistakes

• Check the till or paybill number twice. Payments to the wrong business are hard to recover.
• Use the exact account number. A wrong account number means the biller cannot match your payment.
• Choose the right menu. M-Pesa tills and paybills are under option 6, while Airtel’s own billers are under Lipa na Airtel Money.
• Keep the confirmation SMS until the biller confirms receipt.

Paying From Airtel Money When M-Pesa Is Down

Network outages happen on every provider. When M-Pesa services are slow or unavailable, having money on Airtel Money lets you keep paying shops, buying tokens and settling bills. The till and paybill numbers stay the same, so you do not need to ask the business for a new number. This is one of the most practical reasons to keep a small float on a second wallet, especially for people who pay rent, school fees or stock suppliers on fixed dates. It also helps when you travel to areas where one network has a weaker signal than the other.

Keeping Records of Your Payments

Each payment produces an SMS with a transaction ID. For school fees, rent and supplier payments, save these messages or take screenshots and keep them in a folder. If a school or landlord says a payment is missing, the transaction ID is the fastest way for them to trace it.

For Businesses

If you already have an M-Pesa till or paybill, Airtel customers can pay you without you doing anything new. If you want your own Airtel Money till or paybill, apply through Airtel’s business team. Small traders choosing between options can read our comparison of Pochi, till and paybill.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I pay an M-Pesa till with Airtel Money?

Yes, through option 6 on *334#.

Is it free?

Airtel says till payments to Lipa na M-Pesa are free for customers. Paybill fees vary.

Can I pay school fees with Airtel Money?

Yes, if the school has an M-Pesa or Airtel paybill.

What if I paid the wrong till?

Contact Airtel customer care immediately with the transaction ID.

Does the shop receive the money instantly?

Yes. The merchant gets a confirmation like any normal payment.