Visa’s Pay and Get Paid 2026 survey reveals that 81% of Kenyan small and medium enterprises (SMEs) express strong interest in an all‑in‑one payment and business management solution, while just 19% have adopted such platforms.

The disparity creates a 62‑point adoption gap, leaving many entrepreneurs burdened by fragmented administrative processes.

Survey respondents identified routine back‑office tasks as major pain points: 30% struggle to track outstanding invoices, 27% find payroll record‑keeping difficult, and 26% encounter friction when preparing periodic financial reports.

Most SME owners currently reconcile figures manually across mobile‑money statements, banking portals, physical receipts and disconnected accounting ledgers, adding to operational inefficiency.

Visa attributes the low uptake primarily to perception and awareness barriers rather than technical resistance, urging fintech providers to shift from pure payment processing to showcasing scalable, lightweight enterprise tools.

Among the minority of SMEs that have adopted integrated platforms, 85% report overall satisfaction and 81% note measurable efficiency gains, reducing hours spent on manual administrative tasks.

Integrated solutions also improve financial visibility, providing lenders with clean, auditable records that can support formal bank credit and other financing options.

Anne Kinuthia‑Otieno, Visa’s Vice President and Head of East Africa, emphasizes that the real value for SMEs lies in turning everyday payment data into operational intelligence that can simplify payroll, automate tax and invoicing, and lower risk barriers to growth capital.