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How to send money from Uganda to Kenya
Send from MTN MoMo straight to M-Pesa Kenya. These are the steps.
See the stepsThe short answer
From Uganda, the direct way is MTN MoMo: dial *165*1#, choose Africa, then East Africa, and send to the receiver's Safaricom M-Pesa number with the 254 code.
MTN charges the sender UGX 500 on UGX 50,000, UGX 1,000 on UGX 100,000 to UGX 500,000, and never more than UGX 2,000. You can send up to UGX 5 million at a time and UGX 20 million a day. MTN's page does not publish the exchange rate. Send a small amount first and ask the receiver what landed in their M-Pesa.
See what lands on M-Pesa
No extra fees on top of the rate. Type an amount for an estimate. Dovo shows your exact KES before you confirm.
- Dovo rate
- 1 USDT = 127.75 KES
- Extra fees
- None on top of the rate
- Your exact amount
- Shown in Dovo before you confirm
- Arrives
- In minutes
KESLive Dovo rate
Two ways to do it
Same USDT. Very different trip to your phone.
MTN MoMo to M-Pesa Kenya
- Max charge UGX 2,000
- Up to UGX 5m a send
- Dial *165*1# on the MTN lineYou need an MTN MoMo account with enough balance for the amount and the charge.
- Choose Africa, then East AfricaMTN groups the countries you can send to by region. Kenya is in East Africa. Then follow the prompts for Kenya.
- Enter the receiver's Safaricom number with 254MTN says you must type the country code, 254 for Kenya. For example 2547XXXXXXXX.
- Enter the amount in UGX, then confirmUp to UGX 5 million in one transfer and UGX 20 million in a day. Check the number before you confirm.
- The receiver checks their M-PesaThe money lands in their M-Pesa balance in KES. They can send it, pay with it or withdraw it like any M-Pesa money.
Money in USDT: send it to Dovo, cash out to M-Pesa
- M-Pesa in minutes
- One price upfront
- The receiver opens Dovo and taps Add moneyThey tap Show my address, then Copy address, and share it. Dovo takes USDT on BNB Smart Chain (BEP-20) only.
- The sender withdraws USDT on BNB Smart ChainOn Binance, the network is called BSC (BEP20). USDT sent on another network cannot be recovered.
- The receiver taps Cash out, then My M-PesaThey enter the amount in USDT, from 2 USDT, and tap Continue. The Review cash-out screen shows what M-Pesa receives. They tap Send to confirm. If Dovo asks, they set up an authenticator app first.
MTN MoMo vs USDT with Dovo
| MTN MoMo | USDT with Dovo | |
|---|---|---|
| Money you start with | UGX in MTN MoMo | USDT on BNB Smart Chain (BEP-20) |
| Who sends | The sender, from the *165*1# menu | The sender, from any wallet that sends BEP-20 |
| What lands in Kenya | KES in M-Pesa | KES in the receiver's own M-Pesa |
| Charge | UGX 0 to UGX 2,000 by amount, plus MTN's exchange rate | One Dovo price, shown before the receiver confirms |
| Limits | UGX 5 million a transfer, UGX 20 million a day. A Kenyan M-Pesa holds up to KES 500,000 | From 2 USDT, up to 2,000 USDT per 24 hours |
| Time | Not published by MTN | M-Pesa usually in minutes after the deposit |
Common problems
I sent money to the wrong Kenyan number
Contact MTN Uganda at once with the transaction details from your SMS.
- Call 100 from your MTN line.
- Or WhatsApp MTN on 0772 123 100, or email [email protected].
- MTN's remittance page does not promise a reversal, so check the number before you confirm.
My amount is over the limit
MTN lets you send up to UGX 5 million in one transaction and up to UGX 20 million a day.
Split a larger amount into transfers of UGX 5 million or less, or send the rest the next day.
The receiver uses Airtel Money, not M-Pesa
MTN's 2025 list of corridors names Airtel in Kenya as well as Safaricom M-Pesa.
Follow the prompts after East Africa and use the receiver's 254 number.
Questions
Can I send money from MTN MoMo Uganda to M-Pesa Kenya?
Yes. MTN Uganda's 2025 list of remittance corridors names Safaricom M-Pesa in Kenya. Dial *165*1#, choose Africa, then East Africa, and enter the receiver's number with the 254 code.
How much does MTN charge to send money from Uganda to Kenya?
MTN charges by amount: nothing up to UGX 500, UGX 100 up to UGX 5,000, UGX 500 from UGX 5,001 to UGX 60,000 and UGX 1,000 from UGX 60,001 to UGX 500,000. It is UGX 1,500 up to UGX 1 million and UGX 2,000 up to UGX 5 million.
How much can I send from Uganda to Kenya at once?
MTN lets you send up to UGX 5 million in one transaction and up to UGX 20 million a day. On the Kenyan side, an M-Pesa account can hold up to KES 500,000, Safaricom says.
What exchange rate does MTN use from UGX to KES?
MTN's remittance page does not publish the rate. You type the amount in UGX and the receiver gets KES. Send a small amount first and ask the receiver what landed.
Does the receiver in Kenya pay anything?
Neither MTN's remittance page nor Safaricom's IMT FAQ lists a charge for the Kenyan receiver. The receiver pays the normal M-Pesa charges when they later send or withdraw the KES.
Can I send money from Kenya to Uganda too?
Yes, to MTN Uganda numbers. Dial *840#, enter your PIN, choose Send Money and enter the number as 256 then the digits. Safaricom charges KES 22 to KES 220, for amounts up to KES 70,000.
How do I check the UGX amount before sending from Kenya?
Dial *840#, enter your service PIN and the amount in KES, then the 256 number. Safaricom shows the UGX to send, the charge and the total. Safaricom updates its rates daily at midnight.
Who do I contact if a transfer to Kenya goes wrong?
MTN Uganda: call 100 from your MTN line, WhatsApp 0772 123 100, or email [email protected]. Have the transaction details from your SMS ready.
Can I send USDT from Uganda and have it paid to M-Pesa in Kenya?
Yes, if the receiver has Dovo. The sender sends USDT on BNB Smart Chain (BEP-20) to the receiver's Dovo address. The receiver cashes out from 2 USDT, up to 2,000 USDT in any 24 hours, to their own M-Pesa number.