23 Emirates, the world’s largest international airline, has unveiled a novel, groundbreaking split-payment solution tailored for travellers in Kenya through its enduring strategic partnership with Cellulant, Africa’s foremost payments technology company. Breaking Travel News reports that the split-payment capability, powered by Tingg, Cellulant’s flagship payment gateway, made its debut in Kenya and is poised to expand into additional African markets within the coming months. Now live on Emirates’ official website, Tingg’s innovative split-payment feature delivers unmatched financial flexibility by letting customers blend multiple payment methods, from mobile money and mobile banking to local credit and debit cards. Tech Africa News notes that travellers can make an initial payment online and then spread up to four additional instalments over just 24 hours, dramatically expanding purchasing power and bringing world-class airfares within reach for the continent’s vast mobile-first population. “With hundreds of millions of Africans relying on mobile money as their preferred way to pay, extending this convenience to global travel payments is essential,” said Michael Muriuki, Chief Product and Technology Officer at Cellulant. “Through Tingg, we are enabling Emirates customers to complete high-value transactions seamlessly, without transaction limits becoming a barrier to access.” Commenting on the partnership, Christophe Leloup, Emirates’ Country Manager for Kenya, added: “Kenya is one of the most dynamic markets on our global network, and we’re always looking for ways to enhance our customer experience across every touchpoint, including the booking process. By introducing split payments through Tingg by Cellulant, we unlock greater flexibility and convenience, while enabling more customers to access our world-class products and services.” Solving a Real Pain Point: The Split-Payment Breakthrough Mobile money dominates payments across Africa, with over 1 billion registered wallets driving more than 80 billion transactions worth over US$1 trillion annually. Yet daily and per-transaction limits frequently force customers to abandon high-value purchases such as international airline tickets. Emirates’ new split-payment solution, delivered through Cellulant’s Tingg platform, directly eliminates this barrier, allowing travellers to secure bookings while staying comfortably within provider limits. This feature complements Emirates’ broad suite of financing options designed to make air travel truly accessible. In Kenya, customers already enjoy seamless payments via M-Pesa, Safaricom apps, or mobile banking transfers through partner banks, all powered by Cellulant. Across 14 African markets, including South Africa, Ghana, and Zimbabwe, Emirates and Cellulant continue to roll out locally relevant finance solutions. ALSO READ: Ethiopian Airlines Aims to Seal Global Reach with Direct Australia Flights Set for 2028 Ethiopian Airlines Scores a Win for Africa Travel with $4.4 Billion Revenue in H1 2026 Air Peace Boosts Global Reach with Travelport Partnership The timing could not be better: Emirates will add a third daily flight on the popular Dubai–Nairobi route from 1 March 2026, responding to consistently strong demand where double-daily services have operated at near-full capacity. By combining increased seat availability with payment methods tailored to African customers, Cellulant and Emirates are ensuring that travel excitement translates into effortless bookings. The State of Flexible Split-Payment Solutions in Nigeria Nigeria’s fintech ecosystem is one of Africa’s most vibrant, with rapid growth in mobile money, USSD banking (737#, 822#, etc.), and buy-now-pay-later apps from players like OPay, PalmPay, and Flutterwave. Cellulant already operates actively in Nigeria through its Tingg platform, powering payments for major brands and airlines. While Emirates has not yet announced the exact Kenya-style split-payment feature for Nigerian customers, the airline already accepts a range of local payment methods, including mobile banking transfers and cards, via similar Cellulant integrations across its 14 African markets. Given Nigeria’s huge mobile wallet base and the success of instalment financing in travel, experts expect the split payment rollout to reach Nigeria soon, mirroring the Kenyan model and removing the same high-value transaction hurdles that currently frustrate many Nigerian travellers. Flexible split payments directly fuel tourism by removing the single biggest friction point in booking international flights: the inability to pay large sums in a single payment. More accessible airfares mean higher load factors on routes like Dubai–Nairobi (and soon potentially Lagos–Dubai), driving increased visitor arrivals, longer stays, and greater spending on hotels, safaris, cultural sites, and local experiences. For Africa as a whole, this innovation accelerates intra-continental and long-haul connectivity, supports post-pandemic recovery, and aligns with digital-payment trends that have already cut cash reliance among tourists by double digits recently. In Nigeria specifically, where the World Travel & Tourism Council projects the sector will contribute nearly ₦12.3 trillion to GDP by 2032 (growing at 5.4% annually), such payment flexibility could be transformative. Easier flight bookings would boost outbound leisure and business travel while making Nigeria far more attractive to international visitors, especially diaspora returnees and adventure seekers, by improving the entire journey from booking to arrival. The result: stronger foreign-exchange earnings, more jobs in hospitality, and the accelerated development of tourism hotspots such as Lagos beaches, Abuja’s cultural centres, and Calabar’s carnival routes. Have you enjoyed how innovation is transforming the skies over Africa? Explore more stories on fintech-powered travel, airline expansions, and hidden tourism gems across the continent on our website today! FAQs What is Emirates’ new split-payment solution? It lets customers combine mobile money, cards, and bank transfers, then pay an initial amount online, followed by up to 4 instalments within 24 hours via Tingg, making it perfect for high-value tickets. Is the split-payment option available in Nigeria yet? Although the split-payment option has not yet been launched in Nigeria, Cellulant’s strong presence in the country and the flexible options offered by Emirates indicate a swift expansion in the coming months. How does this help tourism in Africa and Nigeria? It removes payment barriers, increases flight bookings, fills more seats, and drives visitor spending on local experiences, thereby directly growing tourism’s GDP contribution. Which payment methods can I use? You can use mobile money, such as M-Pesa, mobile banking, and local credit/debit cards, combining them as needed. Why is the timing perfect with the new Dubai–Nairobi flights? Extra capacity means easier payments, turning strong demand into actual bookings and fuelling a tourism surge across East Africa and beyond. African Aviation InnovationAirline Industry PartnershipsDigital Travel Payments 0 comment 0 FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedinTelegramEmail Oluwafemi Kehinde Oluwafemi Kehinde is a business and technology correspondent and an integrated marketing communications enthusiast with close to a decade of experience in content and copywriting. He currently works as an SEO specialist and a content writer at Rex Clarke Adventures. Throughout his career, he has dabbled in various spheres, including stock market reportage and SaaS writing. He also works as a social media manager for several companies. He holds a bachelor's degree in mass communication and majored in public relations.