Safaricom has launched Fuliza Ya Pochi, a new overdraft facility targeting more than one million qualifying Pochi La Biashara merchants, allowing small businesses to access short-term credit to manage cash flow challenges.
The service, unveiled in Thika on Thursday, October 22, 2026, extends the telecommunications company’s M-PESA credit ecosystem to entrepreneurs who receive customer payments through Pochi La Biashara.
The facility will enable eligible merchants to complete business transactions even when their available wallet balances are insufficient, helping them pay suppliers, purchase goods through Buy Goods, send money and settle utility bills.
Safaricom Group Chief Executive Officer Peter Ndegwa said the product would help small businesses overcome cash flow shortages that often disrupt daily operations.
“Across Kenya, thousands of micro-businesses face daily cash flow gaps that can mean missed sales, delayed stock purchases, or postponed supplier payments,” Ndegwa said.
He added that Fuliza Ya Pochi would help merchants address these short-term financial challenges while continuing to grow their businesses through transactions on M-PESA.
To qualify, merchants must 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#.
Upon enrolment, merchants will receive credit limits determined by their business activity. Repayments will be deducted automatically from future payments received in their Pochi wallets.
Pochi La Biashara enables entrepreneurs and informal businesses to receive customer payments while keeping business funds separate from personal money. Safaricom said the platform currently serves more than two million micro-merchants.
The launch expands the company’s existing credit offerings. Introduced in 2019, Fuliza allows M-PESA customers to complete transactions when they lack sufficient funds. Safaricom later introduced Fuliza ya Biashara for qualifying Lipa na M-PESA merchants.
Fuliza Ya Pochi extends the overdraft service to Pochi La Biashara users, offering another financing option for small-scale traders who need working capital to maintain business operations.
The introduction also follows recent measures by Safaricom to reduce transaction costs for Pochi La Biashara users. Under the three-month initiative, customer payments of up to KES 200 are free, while payments above KES 200 attract a 50 per cent reduction in charges, capped at KES 50.
The latest initiative comes as mobile money platforms continue to play a significant role in supporting Kenya’s informal businesses, providing payment services and access to financial products linked to everyday transactions.