Pesalink, NALA, and Equity Bank sign pact to Transform Cross-Border Payments

By Isaac OGANGA

Pesalink, NALA, and Equity Bank are partnering to make sending money home for Kenyans abroad faster, more reliable, and more accessible.

 

This collaboration combines Pesalink’s instant payment infrastructure, NALA’s global fintech platform, and Equity Bank’s extensive network to improve the efficiency and affordability of last mile cross-border transfers.

Diaspora inflows to Kenya reached a record US$4.94 billion (Ksh 637.3 billion) in 2024, up about 18 percent from 2023. Remittances now rank among Kenya’s top sources of foreign exchange.

This partnership targets those flows by making delivery faster and cheaper for senders and recipients.

NALA provides cross-border payment services for consumers and businesses. Senders in the US, UK, and Europe can now use the NALA app to pay with a debit card or bank account, and recipients in Kenya will receive funds in near real time into mobile wallets or bank accounts.

Speaking on behalf of Equity Bank Kenya Managing Director Moses Nyabanda, the Group Head of International Banking & Payments, Samuel Ireri said, “This partnership is more than a technical integration, it’s a strategic move that aligns with Equity Group’s Africa Recovery and Resilience Plan to drive inclusive economic growth across the continent.

By combining NALA’s user-friendly platform with ’s real-time capabilities and Equity’s settlement infrastructure, we are digitizing remittance flows and expanding access to underserved communities.”

This partnership enables NALA route transfers through Pesalink’s instant payment network, eliminating intermediaries and long waits from the remittance journey. Pesalink supports instant account-to-account transfers up to Ksh 999,999 per transaction across 80+ participants, including banks, SACCOs, telcos and fintechs.

“Removing friction from cross-border payments drives inclusion and reliability for millions of Kenyans,” said Kenn Lisudza, Chief Products Officer, IPSL. “Through this partnership, Equity Bank’s enabling role, Pesalink’s trusted infrastructure and NALA’s global reach will deliver faster, cheaper remittances for households and businesses.”

For Kenyans living and working in the US, UK, and Europe, using the NALA app means money can now arrive almost instantly into bank accounts or mobile wallets in Kenya, supporting everyday financial planning for families and businesses alike.

Fintechs and remittance firms also stand to benefit from access to Pesalink’s trusted infrastructure and richer payment data to support reconciliation. Together, these improvements will create a stronger foundation for Kenya’s economy, where faster and more predictable transfers fuel growth for individuals, SMEs, and the wider ecosystem.

“Every year, billions are lost to cross-border payment fees worldwide. At NALA, we believe people deserve better, money sent home should arrive faster, more reliably, and at a fair cost. That is why our choice of infrastructure partners is essential to reduce fees and make cross-border payments more affordable for everyone,” said Nicolas Eddy, COO, NALA.