Google has teamed up with Equity Bank, the largest bank in East Africa, to launch BebaPay, a payment card that makes it easier and more convenient to pay for bus travel in Kenya.
BebaPay is an electronic reloadable smart card. BebaPay cards are available for free from major bus stops like Kencom House, Pipeline and Yaya. Once you get your card, you can load money onto your card at select Equity Bank agents, or using mobile money. You can also use the BebaPay site to keep an eye on your spending. Every time you use your BebaPay card to pay for a journey, you will be sent a free receipt by SMS.
BebaPay uses smart cards powered by Near Field Communication (NFC) technology, plus software from Google. The NFC technology means that payment can take place offline, even when there is no power or network connectivity.
In time, Equity Bank will roll out BebaPay more widely, beyond the world of transport. The free BebaPay app turns any NFC-enabled Android phone into a card reader, which means that shops, traders and small businesses can use BebaPay to accept payments from customers, without needing expensive tills and cash registers.
