Why Your Fuliza Limit May Remain Low Despite Sending and Receiving Huge Amounts Through M-PESA

Safaricom has explained why some Kenyans who move hundreds of thousands of shillings through M-PESA every month still receive low Fuliza limits, saying transaction volumes alone do not determine how much a customer can borrow.

The clarification followed a complaint from an M-PESA user identified as @kingjockerNY on X, who questioned why his Fuliza limit had not increased despite conducting transactions worth more than KSh200,000 monthly.

“Mbona sinanga fuliza limit na I transact more than 200k monthly,” the customer asked.

Responding to the complaint, Safaricom apologised for the delay in reviewing the customer’s limit and explained that Fuliza borrowing limits are generated automatically using several aspects of a customer’s financial behaviour.

The company said the assessment considers M-PESA transaction patterns, repayment history, other loans registered under a customer’s national identification details and long-term savings.

Safaricom noted that customers who have borrowed money through other financial institutions are also assessed based on how consistently they repay their loans.

The telecommunications company further pointed to savings held in M-Shwari and other financial institutions as part of the factors considered when determining borrowing limits.

“Fuliza limits are system generated and depend on your M-PESA usage and repayment pattern,” the company stated.

Safaricom advised customers seeking a review to dial *334# and select option 00 for Fuliza. However, it cautioned that the review can only be requested once every month and does not automatically result in a higher limit.

The company explained that decisions on limit adjustments are made at the discretion of the lending bank, meaning customer care representatives cannot manually increase an individual’s borrowing limit.

Customers were also encouraged to keep their Safaricom lines active, maintain regular usage and repay borrowed money promptly to improve their chances of qualifying for higher limits.

The clarification means that frequently sending and receiving money through M-PESA may not be enough to secure a bigger Fuliza facility if a customer’s wider borrowing and repayment record does not support an increase.

Fuliza M-PESA is an overdraft service offered through a partnership involving Safaricom, NCBA Bank and KCB Bank. It enables eligible customers to complete certain M-PESA transactions even when their wallets do not have sufficient funds.

Money received into an account with an outstanding Fuliza balance is automatically used to offset the overdraft, while applicable access and maintenance fees are charged when the facility is used.

Safaricom’s latest explanation follows similar complaints from customers who have questioned why their borrowing limits remain low despite regularly using the mobile money platform.

In October 2026, the company addressed another customer whose Fuliza limit had remained at KSh100 despite frequent M-PESA transactions.

On that occasion, Safaricom also pointed to loan repayment records, airtime purchases and overall M-PESA usage as factors considered by the lending bank.

The company has repeatedly maintained that regular transactions do not guarantee an increase, with customers’ broader financial behaviour playing an important role in determining their borrowing limits.

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