The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) has rolled out a new mobile payment option that lets investors pay for successful government securities bids of up to Ksh250,000 directly from their phones.
In a notice posted on its X account on Monday, August 17, 2026, CBK said the feature is available through the DhowCSD mobile application. It provides investors with an additional channel for settling successful bids for government securities, making payments more convenient.
CBK stated that investors can “pay for successful Government Securities bids conveniently from your mobile phone for amounts up to Ksh 250,000.”
The new facility is expected to make investing more convenient for retail investors who take part in Treasury bills and bonds, especially those looking to settle their payments without using traditional banking channels.
According to the CBK notice, investors can start the payment process through the Transaction tab within the DhowCSD mobile application. The option currently supports M-Pesa, and CBK said other mobile payment platforms may be added in the future.
CBK added that the DhowCSD app is available for download on major mobile application stores, enabling investors to access government securities services directly from their phones.
The development also comes as demand for government securities remains high, with investors continuing to direct funds into Treasury bills and bonds as an alternative investment option. CBK’s latest move follows a strong showing in the market earlier this month: on August 12, 2026, the central bank reported receiving bids worth about Ksh460.9 billion for three reopened Treasury bonds against an offer of Ksh150 billion.
CBK reported that the securities-IFB1/2019/016, IFB1/2021/018, and IFB1/2021/021-had maturities of 9.3 years, 12.7 years, and 16.2 years, respectively. The central bank said it accepted bids worth approximately Ksh312 billion, underscoring investors’ ongoing appetite for government debt instruments.
With the new mobile payment facility, smaller investors may find it easier to participate in the government securities market, as the final payment step becomes simpler. The update also reflects CBK’s continued push to digitize access to government securities and broaden access to investment services through mobile technology.
