It’s more than just your credit score: Safaricom reveals what really determines your Fuliza limit

Safaricom has clarified that a customer’s Fuliza M-PESA borrowing limit is determined by more than just their credit score. In response to a question from X user @Mo_kingly, the telecommunications giant stated that the assessment takes into account a variety of factors beyond just credit history. This clarification came after growing public interest in how Fuliza evaluates customers, particularly following Safaricom’s warning that opting out and then rejoining the service can trigger a new assessment that may lower a customer’s limit.

According to Safaricom, the determination of Fuliza limits involves reviewing a customer’s overall usage of their Safaricom line. This includes factors such as SMS usage, data usage, call frequency, top-up frequency, M-PESA usage, and participation in services like Mshwari and KCB M-PESA. The company emphasized that none of these factors carry more weight than the others, suggesting that everyday mobile habits play a role in the assessment of eligibility and borrowing capacity.

Safaricom’s latest explanation aligns with its published Fuliza Terms and Conditions, which state that the Overdraw Limit is determined using credit scoring, and that the company reserves the right to review or change the limit at any time. Continued approval of Fuliza requests is contingent upon the customer’s performance under their scoring system.

Additionally, Safaricom and its lending partners may use information about a customer’s use of M-PESA and other Safaricom products in managing the service. This clarification comes after another customer’s attempt to increase a Fuliza limit backfired, as rejoining the service after opting out triggered a new assessment, potentially lowering the limit.