Kenya’s MPost is Easing Mailing Process for Users

MPost was founded in June, 2016 by Abdul Aziz Omar and Twahir Mohamed.

The startup developed patented technology that enables users to transform their phone into a unique mobile postal address and mobile postal box, is quickly expanding after securing 40,000 customers in its home market.

Across Africa, there are 440 million unaddressed people, while the global figure is four billion and this is the problem MPost is trying to address.

The startup’s platform enables the conversion of mobile numbers into official virtual addresses, which allows notifications to be sent to clients whenever they get mail through their postal addresses.

All potential clients have to do is register by dialling a USSD code or through the MPost mobile and web app, after which the system guides them through an identification process. A US$3 registration fee is paid, with the user obtaining their own virtual postal address.

Once a user registers for the service, they choose the most convenient post office (out of the 622 Post offices across Kenya) where they can receive their letters/documents/parcels.

Once a letter/parcel is received by the PCK, an SMS will be sent to the user, notifying them that they have received mail (letters/documents/parcels).

The user then has a choice of walking to the post office to collect the documents or ask that Posta delivers them to their house/office/different location at an extra fees. This service costs KES 300 per year.

When users receive mail at their chosen post office, the post office generates a unique QR-coded stamp and sends an SMS notification to the user, who can pick up their mail or have it couriered to their location at an additional cost.

Simple, but incredibly effective. MPost, which has been primarily self-funded but obtained some angel investment last year, has already obtained 40,000 users thanks to a partnership with the Postal Corporation of Kenya.

Over 22,000 mails and parcels have already been received through the platform, and the startup has already expanded to Uganda ahead of further launches in Rwanda, Botswana, Tanzania, South Africa.

“Uptake to date has been phenomenal, taking into consideration the fact all registrations to date have been with zero marketing budget,” Omar said