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Fuliza Ya Pochi: A New Credit Boost for Kenya’s Small Businesses
Safaricom’s new overdraft facility gives qualifying Pochi La Biashara merchants access to credit to manage cash flow and keep business moving.
Safaricom has launched Fuliza Ya Pochi, a new credit facility designed to help micro-merchants manage short-term cash flow gaps and keep their businesses running.
The service extends M-PESA’s credit ecosystem to qualifying Pochi La Biashara merchants. According to Safaricom, more than one million merchants qualify for the new facility.
Through Fuliza Ya Pochi, eligible merchants can complete business transactions even when their Pochi wallet balance is insufficient. They can use the overdraft to pay suppliers, make Buy Goods purchases, send money and settle utility bills.
Credit to Help Businesses Keep Moving
For many small businesses, a cash flow gap can mean delayed stock purchases or missed supplier payments. As a result, merchants may struggle to serve customers while waiting for more money to come in.
Fuliza Ya Pochi aims to bridge these short-term gaps by providing access to an overdraft based on business activity.
“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 helps merchants manage these challenges while continuing to build their businesses.
How Merchants Can Access Fuliza Ya Pochi
The facility is available to merchants who have actively used Pochi La Biashara for more than six months.
Eligible users can access the service through the Pochi Mini App on My OneApp or by dialling *334#. After enrolment, each qualifying merchant receives a credit limit based on their business activity.
Repayments are automatically deducted from future payments received in the merchant’s Pochi wallet.
However, access is subject to qualification. The credit limit depends on business activity, rather than being the same for every merchant.
Building on Pochi La Biashara’s Reach
Pochi La Biashara provides entrepreneurs and informal businesses with a way to receive customer payments while keeping business funds separate from personal money.
Safaricom says the platform currently serves more than two million micro-merchants. Fuliza Ya Pochi therefore extends its credit offering to a broader segment of small businesses.
Introduced in 2019, Fuliza allows customers to complete transactions when their M-PESA balances are insufficient. Safaricom later introduced Fuliza ya Biashara for qualifying Lipa na M-PESA merchants.
Fuliza Ya Pochi marks the next stage in that development. It brings overdraft services to eligible Pochi La Biashara users, linking access to credit with their everyday business activity.
Safaricom Cuts Pochi La Biashara Transaction Charges
The launch follows recent measures by Safaricom to reduce transaction costs for Pochi La Biashara merchants.
These measures include zero-rated customer payments of up to KSh200. For payments above KSh200, Safaricom has reduced charges by 50%, with the maximum fee capped at KSh50 for three months.
Together, the changes target two common pressures for small businesses: transaction costs and short-term cash flow gaps.
For qualifying merchants, Fuliza Ya Pochi offers another way to manage business payments when funds run low. Its practical value will depend on eligibility, the credit limits offered and how merchants manage repayments from future sales.
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