The news
- PayU Kenya has entered liquidation and appointed Sonal Tejpal as the liquidator.
- The move comes six years after PayU began operations in Kenya through a partnership with Cellulant.
- A public notice confirmed the liquidation decision was effective from August 19, 2025.
PayU Kenya, a subsidiary of the global payments and fintech company PayU, has officially begun liquidation proceedings, marking its exit from the Kenyan market after six years of operations. According to a public notice, the company has appointed Sonal Tejpal as the liquidator, effective from August 19, 2025.
The decision to shut down was filed under Kenya’s Insolvency Act and published in a local newspaper. As liquidator, Tejpal is now responsible for winding up the company’s affairs and settling any outstanding liabilities.
PayU began operations in Kenya in 2019 through a partnership with local payments firm Cellulant. The collaboration allowed PayU to integrate various payment methods, including mobile money, card payments, and bank transfers, targeting online merchants and businesses seeking to accept digital payments in Kenya.
At the time of its launch, PayU announced that the move was aimed at helping global merchants seamlessly access East African markets. The partnership with Cellulant, which provided local expertise and technical support, was expected to help PayU navigate the complexities of the local payments ecosystem.
PayU’s entry into Kenya was in line with its strategy of expanding into high-growth emerging markets by acquiring or partnering with local fintech firms.
Despite securing the required licences and establishing a local presence, PayU struggled to gain significant traction in Kenya’s digital payments sector. The country’s market is dominated by established players, particularly mobile money providers, making it difficult for new entrants to scale quickly.
The reasons behind PayU Kenya’s liquidation were not detailed in the public notice, and the company has not issued an official statement on the matter. It is also unclear whether the decision is part of a broader strategic shift by PayU or its parent company, Prosus, which has stakes in various fintech businesses globally.
With the liquidation now underway, all interested parties or creditors have been invited to present their claims to the liquidator in accordance with Kenya’s insolvency laws.
