NAIROBI, Kenya — Safaricom has clarified why some Fuliza customers may experience reduced borrowing limits even when they consistently repay their overdrafts, saying the limits are subject to periodic review by partner lending institutions.
The clarification followed a customer complaint questioning why their Fuliza limit had been reduced despite maintaining a good repayment record.
“Why are you reducing my Fuliza limit when I’ve been repaying it consistently? And on top of that, you’re deducting money from my account balance,” the customer asked.
In response, Safaricom explained that Fuliza limits are not permanent and can be adjusted either upwards or downwards depending on an individual’s usage profile and other assessment criteria used by the lending banks.
According to the telecommunications company, the review process is undertaken at the discretion of the financial institutions that support the overdraft facility.
How to Refresh a Fuliza Limit
Safaricom also shared a simple method customers can use to request a review of their borrowing limits.
“Please note that the bank may review your limit upwards or downwards at its discretion, depending on your usage. You may dial *334# once every month to refresh your Fuliza limit. We will notify you if there is any change,” the company said.
The process allows customers to trigger a monthly reassessment of their eligibility and borrowing capacity.
Why Limits May Change
While repayment history remains an important factor, lenders also consider other variables when determining a customer’s Fuliza limit. These may include transaction activity, frequency of service usage and overall account behaviour.
As a result, a customer who regularly repays their overdraft may still experience a reduction if their recent usage patterns or risk assessment profile change.
Fuliza, which is available through M-Pesa, enables users to complete transactions even when they have insufficient funds in their accounts, with the borrowed amount automatically recovered once funds become available.
Users seeking a review of their limits can initiate the process through *334# and await feedback from the lending institutions on whether their borrowing capacity has been adjusted.
