Uganda switches off the Internet ahead of January 15 elections
On today's Techpoint Digest, we discuss how Uganda shuts down the Internet ahead of elections, Uber saying goodbye to Visa in Kenya, and Amazon's Kuiper receiving NCC approval to enter Nigeria.
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Ciao,<br />
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Victoria from Techpoint here,<br />
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Here’s what I’ve got for you today:<br />
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Uganda switches off the Internet ahead of elections<br />
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Uber says bye to Visa in Kenya<br />
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Amazon’s Kuiper gets NCC approval to enter Nigeria<br />
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Uber says bye to Visa in Kenya<br />
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Image credit: Enterprise<br />
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Uber has quietly pulled Visa card payments from its app in Kenya, leaving riders and food delivery users with fewer ways to pay for trips and orders. The change, which has been in effect since around December, removes one of the most popular payment options and forces users to switch to alternatives like cash, Mastercard, mobile money (like M-PESA and Airtel Money), or PayPal.<br />
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According to Uber, the decision came after a review of payment methods in the market, pointing to rising global payment processing costs as a key factor behind ditching Visa, even though Visa remains widely used in Kenya. Users have complained in the past about card issues like double charges or pending transactions, where drivers sometimes claimed they didn’t receive payment and demanded mobile money instead, although Uber hasn’t officially connected this to the Visa pull-out.<br />
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The shift also reflects Kenya’s payments ecosystem, where mobile money dominates and card usage — while still broad — operates alongside platforms like Paystack, iPay, and DPO that support Visa, Mastercard, and M-PESA integrations. Uber has been deepening its embrace of mobile money in recent years, including partnerships that let riders and drivers pay and get paid via M-PESA, even offering free data access for Uber and Uber Eats apps through Safaricom to boost usage.<br />
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For everyday riders and frequent travellers who prefer paying with Visa cards, especially business users or foreigners, this is a noticeable change. But for many locals already comfortable with mobile wallets and Mastercard, the impact could be less disruptive. What it does underline is how payment habits and costs are shaping tech services in Africa’s ride-hailing space, pushing global player...
