Safaricom’s Fuliza can be a lifesaver when you run out of money in your MPESA account but it can also be overwhelming when you don’t need it. It acts like a loan service, allowing MPESA users to overdraw on the account when the balance does not meet the amount they intend to use.
When it was first introduced, it was well received as is with other Safaricom products. However, the constant deductions and accumulating interests can easily put you in debt before you realize it. You’re also required to pay the loan within 30 days which is automatically deducted when you top up your MPESA account. Not to mention, it seems nearly impossible to increase your limit no matter how many times you use it and the maximum limit is Ksh 70,000.
These inconveniences are unnecessary if you can top up your accounts from other sources. Hence, you may want to opt out. It’s important to note that when you opt out you won’t be able to use Fuliza until you reactivate it. Additionally, it may affect your loan history and you may not lose your limit or it may reduce if you don’t use it for a long period.
However, it’s not all bad news. If you’re trying to increase your limit, deactivating the service then activating it again can work. You need to have a good credit score and use both MPESA and Fuliza regularly.
Whether you’re trying to increase your limit or you’re not interested in the service and trying to deactivate it but don’t know how to, here are the steps to go about it.
Deactivate Fuliza through USSD
- Dial *234# and reply with option 0: Fuliza MPESA
- Select option 98: more the option 7: opting out
- Hit Send to complete the process then wait for a message
- You will receive a message stating “It is sad to see you leave” which confirms that you have successfully deactivated Fuliza
Through MPESA app
- Open the MPESA app on your device and go to the Transact section on the bottom bar
- Select Fuliza then tap the three dots on the top right corner
- Select Opt Out and wait for a confirmation message
Note: you cannot deactivate Fuliza or deregister your line with an unpaid Fuliza loan. Trying to do so will land you on the CRB list and you won’t have access to other loans in the future.