The inaugural edition of MEF Connects Content & Payments in Sub-Saharan Africa, held in Nairobi on 19 June 2025, brought together a broad and diverse group of stakeholders from across the mobile content, payments, and digital advertising ecosystem.
While the event was deeply rooted in the Kenyan market, it also welcomed delegates from across Sub-Saharan Africa, as well as professionals from India, China, and Europe—reflecting Nairobi’s growing importance as a strategic and innovation-rich hub for digital services.
With the generous support of Digital Virgo as the event’s headline sponsor, the day delivered a high level of insight, engagement, and shared learning. The agenda covered a wide range of topics, including Direct Carrier Billing (DCB), mobile money integration, content monetisation models, user experience optimisation, performance marketing, and compliance strategies.
Jason Masai, Head of Strategy and Business Development at M-Pesa Africa, delivered the keynote address, sharing timely insights on the evolving role of mobile financial services in Africa’s digital content ecosystem.
The event’s panels and conversations were driven by operational expertise and practical experience, with strong contributions from mobile operators, aggregators, digital service providers, and advertisers. A key takeaway was the importance of shared responsibility in creating sustainable and user-centric mobile services.
Adding to the event’s sense of occasion was the pre-conference networking meet-up, held the evening before at a rooftop venue overlooking the Nairobi National Park. Kindly sponsored by CFM Africa, the gathering created a relaxed and scenic setting for early introductions and informal discussions—setting the tone for the collaborative spirit that carried into the main event.
The day concluded on an interactive note, with attendees contributing their reflections and insights in an open room-wide discussion—underscoring MEF’s commitment to dialogue that includes every voice in the value chain.
As MEF continues to expand its engagement across Africa, this Nairobi edition has helped lay the groundwork for next steps in the region and beyond. The conversations started here will carry forward, informing future partnerships, best practices, and innovation across mobile payments and content.
Our thanks to all speakers, sponsors, and attendees who made the event a success—and to the vibrant Kenyan digital community for hosting the industry with such energy and openness.
