M-PESA Ethiopia and Gebeya Inc. have launched the Dala AI Bundle, a new subscription that gives Ethiopians access to AI creation tools through mobile money payments via M-PESA wallets, in what the companies describe as a first for the Ethiopian market. Announced in Addis Ababa on February 25, 2026, the offering is aimed at reducing payment barriers for users without credit cards while expanding access to digital tools for creators, entrepreneurs, and small businesses. The companies also framed the launch as part of a broader shift in which mobile money platforms are moving beyond transfers and bill payments into digital services.
What the Dala AI Bundle Offers
According to the announcement, the Dala AI Bundle gives subscribers access to tools on Gebeya’s Dala Studio platform, including app-building features, AI agent creation, game development, comic generation, and AI-assisted content production. The companies also said the tools are localized for Ethiopian users, with support for Amharic, Oromo, and other local languages. This localization focus is a central part of the product’s value proposition, especially for users building content for domestic audiences.
The payment integration is a major component of the launch because it removes the need for international cards, which can limit access to subscription-based software in many African markets. All subscriptions under the bundle are payable through M-PESA, and the companies said the bundle is currently available on Dala Studio with plans to make it accessible through the M-PESA application as well. That distribution strategy could help the product reach users already familiar with mobile money but newer to AI tools.
Why the Partnership Matters
The companies described the partnership as the first time an African mobile money operator has bundled AI-powered creation tools as a mainstream offering. If adopted at scale, the model could serve as a template for how telecom and fintech channels are used to distribute software services in markets where card penetration remains low. It also gives M-PESA Ethiopia a new category of digital service that extends its role beyond payments infrastructure.
For Gebeya, the partnership offers national-scale distribution through M-PESA’s reach and brand familiarity in Ethiopia. For M-PESA Ethiopia, the bundle strengthens its positioning as a platform for digital access rather than only a transaction rail. For the local market, the companies presented the initiative as a way to accelerate participation in Ethiopia’s growing creator and developer economy.
Executive Comments and Local Context
Amadou Daffe, chief executive of Gebeya Inc., said the partnership is aimed at putting digital creation tools into the hands of ordinary users, including students, merchants, and storytellers working in local languages. His comments emphasized practical access, arguing that people should be able to create and pay using the same mobile application they already use daily. The message aligns with Gebeya’s broader focus on building AI products tailored to African business and creative needs.
Elsa Muzzolini, chief executive of M-PESA Ethiopia, described the launch as part of M-PESA’s evolution into a gateway for digital services. She said the partnership with Gebeya is intended to help millions of users access AI tools through a platform they already trust, framing the bundle as an inclusive innovation play. The announcement did not disclose pricing, subscriber targets, or a timeline for full integration inside the M-PESA app.
Background on the Companies
The launch builds on prior collaboration between Gebeya and Safaricom-linked initiatives in Ethiopia, including the Safaricom Talent Cloud, which the announcement said has trained thousands of Ethiopian developers. In that context, the Dala AI Bundle can be seen as an extension from skills development into consumer and business tool adoption. It suggests a strategy that connects talent training, platform access, and local-market product distribution.
M-PESA Ethiopia, a Safaricom Ethiopia subsidiary regulated by the National Bank of Ethiopia, began operations in August 2023 after receiving a payment instrument issuer license in May 2023. The company has positioned itself around mobile-first financial services, including transfers, merchant payments, airtime purchases, and other digital transactions. Gebeya, meanwhile, has been building AI-enabled tools and agent-based systems for African businesses and creators, with an emphasis on operational support and locally relevant use cases.
The Dala AI Bundle announcement is notable because it combines two fast-growing sectors in Ethiopia, mobile money and AI-enabled digital tools, into a single subscription model. Its immediate significance lies in payment access, as users can purchase AI services through a familiar wallet instead of relying on cards or more complex payment methods. The longer-term impact will depend on pricing, product usability, and whether the partnership can convert broad distribution into sustained adoption among Ethiopian creators and entrepreneurs.