On May 4, 2023, telecommunications giant Safaricom PLC partnered with KCB Bank Kenya to launch Fuliza ya Biashara, an overdraft facility that allows extension of credit to business owners with Mpesa Business tills when their accounts reach zero or have insufficient funds to complete a transaction.

The rollout of Fuliza ya Biashara aims to scale up small business activities by offering entrepreneurs more fiscal headroom when in a fix and need to make urgent transactions to their clients or respond to various business demands.

According to Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at Safaricom, Peter Ndegwa, over half a million businesses that have incorporated till services in their enterprises can leverage Fuliza ya Biashara and access short-term credit of up to Ksh400,000 to support their business requirements.

Safaricom launches Fuliza for Business with limits of up to Sh. 400,000

“We launched Lipa Na M-PESA as a way for businesses to conveniently receive cashless payments through their mobile phones whenever they are. With more than 538,000 businesses accepting payments through the service, our strategy is to; now go beyond collecting payments by providing business owners with tools to manage and grow their businesses.”

He stated during the launch.

How to use Fuliza ya Biashara

Fuliza ya Biashara is available for all business owners with active Mpesa till numbers older than six months, counting from the registration date. Unfortunately, Pochi la Biashara users cannot tap into this overdraft facility to cover their financial shortfalls.

Here is how Mpesa business service users can opt-in to Fuliza ya Biashara:

1. Dial *234# from the registered Safaricom Mpesa Till number
2. Go to ‘Mpesa Business Till’
3. Select ‘Business Loans’
4. Choose ‘Fuliza ya Biashara’
5. Accept the terms and conditions of using the facility
6. Enter the user ID
7. Enter the user PIN

After successfully registering for Fuliza ya Biashara, you will receive a text message indicating your assigned limit. Fuliza ya Biashara limits can be used to complete Paybill and Buy Goods and Services transactions on Lipa na Mpesa category and can be withdrawn at Mpesa agent outlets or to a nominated number.

Fuliza ya Biashara overdraw service is automatic, and subscribers receive pop-up messages to complete transactions on insufficient funds.

What is Fuliza ya Biashara limit?

With Fuliza ya Biashara, you can take out more money than you have in your account and solve your day-to-day cashflow issues on the Lipa na Mpesa transacting Till. The minimum Fuliza ya Biashara overdraft loan is Ksh1,000, while the maximum is Ksh400,000.

These preset credit limits are assigned by evaluating factors like past transaction histories of business owners and individual frequency of use of other Safaricom and Mpesa services. The minimum transaction limit is Ksh1 up to the allocated limit, and Fuliza for business users can borrow as many times as long as they are within their credit limits.

Fuliza ya Biashara customers have 30 days to repay the loan but are advised to pay back as soon as possible to increase their credit viability and as well as their limits. After repayment, one accesses a new overdraft, including the repaid amount.

Defaulters of Fuliza for business overdraft facility risk being blacklisted on Credit Reference Bureaus (CRBs) aside from being barred from using the service.

“A Business owner that does not pay their Fuliza ya Biashara on time will not be able to access the overdraft service, their limit will be reduced, and eventually they will be listed on CRB after 91 days of their due date,”

reads Fuliza ya Biashara terms of use.

Note that deductions to repay your Fuliza ya Biashara loan is after 30 minutes of every hour from the monies sent to the Till.

What are Fuliza ya Biashara fees?

Borrowing a Fuliza ya Biashara loan attracts a 2% once-off fee and daily administrative fees, which are calculated based on the loaned amount in specified tiers after the lapse of a 24-hour interest-free period.

The table below shows Fuliza ya Biashara’s interest rates. Have in mind that the 2% access fee is charged on every disbursement made.

Mpesa Business owners who do not wish to continue using Fuliza ya Biashara services can opt out by dialling *234#, choosing M-PESA Business Till, logging their store numbers, and selecting the Business Loans option for Fuliza ya Biashara and following the prompts.