Safaricom has launched Fuliza Ya Pochi, a new overdraft facility designed to help more than one million qualifying Pochi La Biashara merchants manage cash flow gaps, pay suppliers and keep their businesses running.
The service extends Safaricom’s M-PESA credit ecosystem to micro-merchants, allowing eligible businesses to complete transactions even when their Pochi La Biashara wallet balance is insufficient.
Merchants can use Fuliza Ya Pochi to pay suppliers, make Buy Goods purchases, send money and settle utility bills. The facility is intended to provide short-term financial flexibility for informal businesses and entrepreneurs who depend on daily transactions to replenish stock and meet operating expenses.
“Across Kenya, thousands of micro-businesses face daily cash flow gaps that can mean missed sales, delayed stock purchases, or postponed supplier payments,” said Peter Ndegwa, Group CEO of Safaricom PLC. He added that the service would help merchants address short-term financing needs while creating opportunities for growth through their M-PESA transactions.
How Fuliza Ya Pochi Works
The facility is available to merchants who have actively used Pochi La Biashara for more than six months. Eligible users can access it through the Pochi Mini App on My OneApp or by dialling *334#.
Upon enrolment, merchants receive an overdraft limit determined by their business activity. Repayments are automatically deducted from subsequent payments received in their Pochi wallets.
Safaricom said Pochi La Biashara currently serves more than two million micro-merchants, providing a way to receive customer payments while separating business funds from personal money.
The new service extends credit access to a segment of Kenya’s informal economy, where businesses often rely on daily sales and short-term cash flow to sustain operations. However, the overdraft remains subject to eligibility requirements and individual limits based on business activity.
Safaricom Expands Its M-PESA Credit Ecosystem
Fuliza Ya Pochi builds on Safaricom’s existing credit products. Introduced in 2019, Fuliza allows M-PESA customers to complete transactions when they lack sufficient funds, while Fuliza ya Biashara extends overdraft services to qualifying Lipa na M-PESA merchants.
The latest launch brings Pochi La Biashara merchants into this credit ecosystem, broadening the range of businesses that can access transaction-based financing through M-PESA.
The launch also follows recent measures by Safaricom to reduce the cost of using Pochi La Biashara. The company has zero-rated customer payments of up to KES 200 and reduced charges by 50% on payments above KES 200, subject to a maximum charge of KES 50. The measures are scheduled to run for three months.
By combining lower transaction costs with overdraft access, Safaricom is seeking to strengthen Pochi La Biashara’s role in the daily operations of Kenya’s micro-enterprises.
The impact of Fuliza Ya Pochi will depend on how effectively merchants use the facility to manage temporary cash shortages, maintain stock and meet payment obligations without accumulating unsustainable borrowing costs.