For years, doing business in Kenya has been a relentless game of micro-transactions. Every time an entrepreneur moves money from a bank account to a mobile wallet to pay a supplier, restock inventory, or manage daily operations, a chunk of their hard-earned revenue vanishes into transaction fees. It is death by a thousand cuts.
But a quiet revolution is taking over the banking sector. Thanks to I&M Bank’s Ni Sare (It’s Free) initiative, the financial friction of moving money has been completely eliminated. It’s a brilliant, customer-centric move that treats small businesses like what they truly are: the heartbeat of our economy.
Historically, sole proprietors have operated in a frustrating financial grey area. They handle the operational complexities of a full business but are often stuck with personal-tier limitations or hit with corporate-tier fees that aggressively eat into revenue.
The Ni Sare campaign directly corrects this imbalance. By offering zero-fee bank-to-M-Pesa transfers, I&M gives mama mbogas, freelance professionals, and boutique owners a massive competitive edge. It means Ksh. 5,000 sent is exactly Ksh. 5,000 received. Over a month, those saved transaction fees can easily add up to enough to restock inventory or keep the electricity running.
Instead of waiting to batch transactions just to save on fees, businesses can finally stay nimble and move cash precisely when needed.
The timing of this initiative couldn’t be more critical as the country faces the looming shadow of the Finance Bill 2026. The National Treasury has proposed a highly controversial 16% VAT on mobile money transfer services (like M-Pesa and Airtel Money). If passed, transaction fees across the country will skyrocket as mobile service providers pass the new tax burden directly down to consumers and businesses.
However, I&M Bank customers have effectively built a fortress around their money. Because I&M charges absolutely zero fees for bank-to-mobile transfers, there is literally no transaction cost to apply a tax to. The math is beautifully simple: 16% of Ksh. 0.00 is still Ksh. 0.00.
While the rest of the digital economy braces for a 16% hike in the cost of moving money, I&M’s sole proprietors and individual users will continue to seamlessly bypass the direct sting of this new tax entirely.
Eliminating transaction fees does more than just protect your bottom line from taxes and fees, it fundamentally elevates how your business operates on a daily basis:
- Unrestricted Cash Velocity: Money moves seamlessly between banking security and mobile convenience, keeping your supply chain moving without a second thought.
- Cleaner Digital Footprints: When moving money is free, entrepreneurs are more likely to route transactions through formal banking channels, automatically building a solid financial record for future credit access.
- Flawless Supplier Relations: You can pay vendors instantly and down to the exact shilling, eliminating the awkward math of having to add extra funds to cover transfer costs.
At a time when every single shilling counts, I&M Bank isn’t just offering a free service, they are giving Kenyan entrepreneurs the ultimate toolkit to survive and thrive.