Launch menu-driven services with operator-ready execution
Use eSMS Africa to plan, price, and deploy USSD experiences across African markets with the commercial clarity and rollout discipline enterprise teams need.
Shared & Dedicated Codes
Launch short codes and menu experiences with options for shared access, dedicated codes, and operator-specific routing.
Menu Flow Design
Build transaction flows for onboarding, balance checks, collections, mobile money journeys, and customer self-service.
Operator Coordination
Work with a team that understands African telecom approvals, MNO onboarding, and local rollout dependencies.
Commercial Visibility
Review session economics, setup costs, monthly pricing, and usage tiers before you deploy into production.
Built for high-adoption, low-friction access
USSD remains essential for African service delivery in markets where simple handset access, payment interactions, and assisted workflows still drive conversion.
Banking & Fintech
Account access, balance checks, payments, and transaction workflows for regulated financial services.
Mobile Money
Collections, confirmations, wallet interactions, and assisted service flows across telecom-led payment rails.
Campaign Activation
Lead capture, promotions, surveys, and interactive campaign journeys that do not require smartphone adoption.
Customer Self-Service
Support menus, account lookup, service requests, and subscription management through simple handset interactions.
USSD Commercial Snapshot
Switch markets to review the latest country pricing, operator scope, regulatory fees, deposits, and session models.
Kenya
Kenya includes detailed shared code, dedicated code, prepaid, and postpaid pricing data updated from the latest commercial notes.
Shared USSD Code
Shared USSD Code Pricing
| USSD Code | Network | Set Up | Monthly Maintenance |
|---|---|---|---|
| *384*X# | Safaricom only | Free | KES 40,000 |
| *384*XX# | Safaricom only | Free | KES 30,000 |
| *384*XXX# | Safaricom only | Free | KES 20,000 |
| *384*XXXX# and more | Safaricom only | Free | KES 10,000 |
| *483*X# or *789*X# | Safaricom, Airtel and Telkom | Free | KES 40,000 |
| *483*XX# or *789*XX# | Safaricom, Airtel and Telkom | Free | KES 30,000 |
| *483*XXX# or *789*XXX# | Safaricom, Airtel and Telkom | Free | KES 20,000 |
| *483*XXXX# or *789*XXXX# and more | Safaricom, Airtel and Telkom | Free | KES 10,000 |
Pre-Paid Costs Per Session
A shared USSD code will be raised on Safaricom, Airtel and Telkom. The telco deducts the cost of the session directly from the end users’ airtime. We charge an amount per session as indicated below.
Prepaid Session Charges
| Network | Telco Charge to End User | eSMS Africa Infrastructure Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Safaricom | KES 1 | KES 0.25 |
| Airtel | KES 1 | KES 0.25 |
| Telkom | KES 1 | KES 0.25 |
Postpaid Costs Per Session
A shared USSD code will be raised on Safaricom. These sessions are free to the end user.
Shared Postpaid Session Costs
| Network | Basic Plan KES 0 - 19,999 | Plus Plan KES 20,000 - 99,999 | Premium Plan KES 100,000 - 399,999 | Max Plan KES 400,000+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Safaricom | KES 1.50 | KES 1.40 | KES 1.30 | KES 1.25 |
Dedicated USSD Code
Dedicated USSD Code Fees
| Telco | Test Bed Set Up Cost | Monthly Maintenance (*XXX#) | Monthly Maintenance (*XXX*X#) And More |
|---|---|---|---|
| Safaricom | KES 17,400 | KES 145,000 | KES 70,000 / KES 58,000 |
| Airtel | - | KES 116,000 | KES 46,400 |
| Telkom | - | KES 103,900 | KES 40,600 |
| Equitel | - | KES 60,000 | KES 58,000 |
Post-Paid Costs Per Session
Dedicated code owner pays for the session costs.
Dedicated Postpaid Session Costs
| Network | Basic Plan KES 0 - 19,999 | Plus Plan KES 20,000 - 99,999 | Premium Plan KES 100,000 - 399,999 | Max Plan KES 400,000+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Safaricom | KES 1.50 | KES 1.40 | KES 1.30 | KES 1.25 |
Pre-Paid Costs Per Session
The telco deducts the cost of the session directly from the end users’ airtime. We charge an amount per session as indicated below.
Dedicated Prepaid Session Costs
| Network | Telco Charge to End User | eSMS Africa Infrastructure Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Safaricom | KES 1 | KES 0.25 |
| Airtel | KES 1 | KES 0.25 |
| Telkom | KES 1 | KES 0.25 |
| Equitel | KES 1 | KES 0.25 |
Need a USSD rollout plan for your market mix?
We can help you model operator coverage, commercial assumptions, session economics, and deployment requirements before you commit to a rollout.