Uber removes Visa payments in Kenya, reshaping how customers pay for rides and food deliveries as the company quietly withdraws the card option from its local app. The update, which started rolling out around December, removes one of the most widely used payment tools for business travellers and expatriates, pushing users toward alternatives such as cash, Mastercard, mobile wallets like M-PESA and Airtel Money, or PayPal.
The decision followed a review of available payment methods, citing rising global transaction processing costs as a major reason for the move. According to one of its spokespeople, “Payment costs globally are on the rise, which impacts businesses and their consumers. We regularly review our payment methods on a market-by-market basis to ensure we’re keeping costs reasonable while balancing any potential impact on consumer experience. We’ve taken this step as a result of this review process.”
Hence, the removal of Visa cards is part of a wider adjustment to Africa’s payments environment, where locally settled systems and mobile wallets have become far more efficient than international card networks. As fees, currency exposure, and cross-border processing charges increase, Uber is narrowing its payment options to those that clear domestically and help keep operational costs under control.
In response, a Visa representative said the company is aware that its cards are no longer being accepted on Uber in Kenya and that it is engaging with Uber’s team to try to resolve the situation as quickly as possible.
The move also reflects Kenya’s broader digital payments ecosystem, where mobile money dominates, and card payments coexist with platforms like Paystack, iPay, and DPO that support Visa, Mastercard, and M-PESA. Uber has increasingly strengthened its mobile money partnerships, enabling both riders and drivers to pay and get paid through M-PESA, and even offering free data for Uber and Uber Eats via Safaricom to encourage usage.
For frequent travellers, corporate users, and others who depend on Visa cards, the change is significant. However, many local riders who already rely on mobile wallets and Mastercard may experience little disruption. Uber removes Visa payments in Kenya, underscoring how shifting consumer habits and rising costs are forcing global ride-hailing companies to adapt their payment strategies across African markets.
