Kenya’s second largest network carrier Airtel Kenya intends to launch an overdraft service in Kenya aimed at enabling customers to complete mobile money transactions even with insufficient funds in their wallets.
The initiative follows comprehensive research by the telco on reasons behind failed transactions, with low wallet balances as a major reason. The overdraft roll out seeks to address this challenge, while implementing its wider financial inclusion strategy.
“There is no need to say that I cannot complete a transaction because I do not have the transaction fees. Or maybe when you are making a payment, you do not have enough money to make that payment. That is why we are actually working on bringing this overdraft solution,” said Anne Kinuthia, Managing Director, Airtel Money Kenya.
Airtel Money to face stiff competition
Airtel money overdraft services are set to face stiff competition from existing digital credit market giants such as Safaricom’s Fuliza, run in partnership with NCBA Bank Kenya and KCB Bank Kenya.
In the six months ended September 30, 2025, active Fuliza users rose by 22.2% to 9.1 million, from 7.5 million in a similar period the previous year. Fuliza borrowings rose sharply by 39.8% to KES 629 billion from KES 450 billion a year earlier. The overdraft service generated revenue amounting to KES 2.6 billion, up 34.9% from KES 1.9 billion in the previous year.
With the launch of service scheduled for early this year, Airtel’s overdraft service will join newly launched bank-backed mobile credit options including, Equity Bank’s Boostika and Co-operative Bank’s Kamilisha.
