Visa Working to Restore Card Payments for Uber Users in Kenya After Payment Method Removal

Kenya, January 15 2026 - Global payments giant Visa says it is in active discussions with ride hailing firm Uber to restore Visa card payments on the Uber app in Kenya after the platform stopped accepting the widely used cards late last year. The move has disrupted how many riders, particularly business travellers and expatriates, pay for trips.

In a statement to the media, Visa confirmed: “We are aware that Visa cards are not currently being accepted by Uber in Kenya. We are in touch with the Uber team and are working to resolve this as soon as possible.” Uber’s decision to drop Visa card support in Kenya, which took effect fully in January 2026 after changes began in late 2025, reflects rising global payment processing costs that make card transactions less economically viable for the company’s business model in this market.

Uber routinely reviews payment methods “on a market by market basis to ensure we’re keeping costs reasonable while balancing any potential impact on consumer experience,” a spokesperson told Dawan. Kenya’s payments ecosystem is dominated by mobile money platforms such as MPesa, which allow transactions to settle instantly in Kenyan shillings without foreign exchange fees or cross border processing charges, a stark contrast to costs associated with international card networks.

Under Uber’s previous arrangement, Visa card payments were settled offshore through a global merchantofrecord structure that applied foreign exchange spreads, interchange fees and scheme charges per trip. For everyday Uber users, the absence of Visa card payments means shifting to alternative payment methods within the app:

1. MPesa and Airtel Money, which settle locally;

2. Mastercard and American Express, which remain accepted;

3. Cash and PayPal options where supported.

Mobile money’s dominance in Kenya, where billions of shillings move through platforms like MPesa each year, has softened the blow for many local riders. However, the change is felt more acutely by corporate travellers and expatriates who rely on credit cards for expense management, rewards programmes and travel convenience.