How to Buy Airtel and Telkom Airtime Using M-PESA

Need to top up an Airtel or Telkom line but all you have is M-PESA? No need to run to the shop. Pesapal’s Paybill 220220 lets you load airtime on Airtel and Telkom lines straight from your Safaricom M-PESA. It is handy when you have a dual-SIM phone, or when a friend on another network needs credit urgently.

A quick update since we first wrote this guide: Orange Kenya is now Telkom Kenya, and YU (yuMobile) shut down in 2014, so YU airtime is no longer sold.

How to Buy Airtel or Telkom Airtime with M-PESA (Paybill 220220)

1. Open the M-PESA menu on your Safaricom line (SIM toolkit, *334# or the M-PESA app).
2. Select Lipa na M-PESA > Pay Bill.
3. Enter the business number 220220.
4. In the account number field, type the network prefix followed by the phone number you are topping up:
   • Airtel airtime: AIRT + Airtel number (e.g. AIRT07XXXXXXXX)
   • Telkom airtime: TELK + Telkom number
   • Airtel postpaid bill: AIRP + Airtel number
   • Telkom postpaid bill: TKPP + Telkom number
5. Enter the amount of airtime you want.
6. Enter your M-PESA PIN and confirm.
7. You will get an M-PESA confirmation SMS showing the payment to Pesapal, and the airtime should land on the target line shortly after.

Another Option: the My Airtel App

If you use the My Airtel app, you can pay for Airtel airtime or bundles with M-PESA inside the app:

1. Open the My Airtel app and tap Buy Airtime or Buy Bundles.
2. Confirm the number to top up (yours, or another number).
3. Enter the amount.
4. On the payment screen, choose the additional payment method, enter the Safaricom number registered for M-PESA and continue.
5. Enter your M-PESA PIN in the pop-up. You will get an M-PESA confirmation and an Airtel message once the airtime or bundle is loaded.

Tips and Warnings

Double-check the phone number before you send. Once airtime is loaded on a line, it generally cannot be reversed.

If the airtime does not arrive after a while, keep your M-PESA confirmation message and contact Pesapal customer support through the contact details on pesapal.com.

Also useful: How to Withdraw M-PESA from an Airtel Line and List of Airtel Kenya Shops.

Sources and useful links

• Pesapal: Buy airtime (Paybill 220220 account formats)
• Pesapal: How to buy Airtel airtime via M-PESA
• Tech-ish: Buying Airtel airtime or bundles with M-PESA in the My Airtel app (June 2025)