Safaricom, Alibaba Unit Agree Mobile-Payments Partnership

Safaricom Plc, Kenya’s biggest mobile operator, agreed a partnership with a unit of Alibaba Group Holdings Ltd. that will facilitate electronic payments. The deal extends Safaricom customers’ ability to use its mobile-money service, known as M-Pesa, outside Kenya as the company looks to establish the system as a global platform. The firm has existing agreements with payments companies Western Union Co. and Paypal Holdings Inc.