A few weeks ago, Safaricom introduced Emerald, a new PostPay service. I’ve been trying to wrap my head around it, and honestly, I’m still not sure I get it. If I’ve got my numbers right, this is their third PostPay attempt in the last ten years. While this one might be targeting something slightly different, the resources behind it caught my eye.
In Safaricom’s words, “Emerald PostPay Plans are premium mobile plans that offer exclusive value and are tailored to deliver a worry-free connection for different customer lifestyles.”
Plans
| Units | KES 1000 | KES 2000 | KES 3000 | KES 5000 | KES 10,000 |
| Minutes | 400 | 1,000 | 1,500 | 2,500 | 7,500 |
| Data | 12 GB | 25 GB | 39 GB | 67 GB | 140 GB |
| SMS | 1,000 | 2,000 | 3,000 | 5,000 | 10,000 |
| Esim | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES |
| Data/voice roaming | *Roaming wallet | *Roaming wallet | *Roaming wallet | *Roaming wallet | *Roaming wallet |
| E-paper | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES |
| M-RATIBA | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES |
Per Safaricom, the roaming wallet limit is 10,000. Customers have the option to top up.
If you’re currently on PrePay and want to switch to Emerald PostPay, here’s how you do it:
- Dial
*544#and select Option 0 (Emerald). - Pick the Emerald plan that fits your lifestyle.
- Read through the terms and conditions.
- Enter your email for billing purposes.
- Confirm the total amount to be deducted and pay via M-PESA.
- Once your payment goes through, the new plan activates.
If you’re already on a PostPay plan and want to move to Emerald:
- Dial
*544#and select Option 0 (Emerald PostPay). - Choose your new Emerald plan.
- Safaricom will show any unpaid balance from your current PostPay account.
- Clear it and top up your deposit if needed.
- Accept the terms and complete the payment.
- Your Emerald plan goes live right after payment.
If you have an outstanding balance, you’ll need to pay it before making the switch. For PrePay customers, the switch also requires a deposit and prepayment upfront. No payment, no migration.
You can also automate your payments using M-Ratiba, Safaricom’s M-PESA standing order tool.
