A Safaricom customer went viral this month after complaining that his Okoa Jahazi airtime limit sits at KSh 2,080 while his Fuliza is stuck at a miserable KSh 300. Anyone who has ever tried to send rent at end-month and watched Fuliza refuse to cover the gap knows the feeling. So Safaricom finally spelled out the exact steps, and if you want to increase your Fuliza limit, there is now an official code for it plus a handful of habits that actually move the number.
Quick Answer: To increase your Fuliza limit, dial *334#, select 00, then choose “Refresh My Limit” to request a review. Beyond that, Safaricom grows your limit gradually based on consistent M-PESA use, on-time repayment, savings in M-Shwari and KCB M-PESA, and a clean CRB record. Reviews happen roughly every three months, so there is no instant jump.
How Do You Increase Your Fuliza Limit?
You increase your Fuliza limit by dialing *334#, selecting 00, and choosing “Refresh My Limit,” then backing that request with steady, responsible usage. The code triggers a review, but the actual increase depends on your recent M-PESA activity and repayment behaviour. There is no button that forces a specific amount.
Here is the process Safaricom shared, step by step:
- Dial *334# on your Safaricom line.
- Select option 00.
- Choose “Refresh My Limit.”
- Wait for the review. The system reassesses your usage and either bumps the limit, keeps it, or in some cases lowers it.
That last part matters. The refresh is not a magic increase, it is a re-check. If your usage and repayment have been strong since the last review, refreshing can push the limit up. If you have been repaying late or barely using the line, don’t be shocked if nothing changes. Safaricom has been blunt that limits move “upwards or downwards depending on usage and timely repayment.”
One more thing people miss: each M-PESA-registered line is treated as a separate account with its own Fuliza limit. If you juggle two SIMs, the one you actually transact on is the one that will grow.
Why Did Your Fuliza Limit Drop or Get Stuck?
Your Fuliza limit drops or stalls when you repay late, default, opt out of the service, or simply stop using your line actively. Safaricom has confirmed that a limit “may be reduced if you delayed or defaulted on repayment,” and that customers active on the network for less than six months are assigned a zero limit until they build history.
This is where the KSh 300 crowd usually gets tripped up. People assume paying on time alone should send the limit climbing, then get frustrated when it doesn’t. But Fuliza reads your whole footprint, not just Fuliza repayment. Safaricom told one customer directly that the limit also factors in “SMS usage, data usage, calls, top-up frequency and M-PESA usage.” A line you only use to receive money and immediately withdraw looks thin to the algorithm, even if you never miss a repayment.
Withdrawing everything the moment it lands is another quiet killer. Safaricom explicitly advises saving “without withdrawing” to grow the limit. If your M-PESA and M-Shwari balances are always at zero, you read as high-risk, and the number stays put.
How Does Safaricom Actually Calculate Your Fuliza Limit?
Safaricom and its bank partners set your Fuliza limit algorithmically, weighing your CRB credit status, your savings in M-Shwari and KCB M-PESA, your repayment history on past loans including Okoa Jahazi, and how heavily you use Safaricom services overall. No single action sets it. It is a running score of how reliable and active you look.
Fuliza is a partnership between Safaricom, NCBA Bank, and KCB Bank, so the banks are genuinely assessing you as a borrower. Here is what feeds the decision:
| Factor | What it means for your limit |
| CRB status | A clean record with bureaus like TransUnion, Metropol, or Creditinfo helps. Active default hurts. |
| Repayment history | Clearing Fuliza and Okoa Jahazi on time is the strongest positive signal. |
| Savings behaviour | Money sitting in M-Shwari and KCB M-PESA (not withdrawn instantly) reads as stability. |
| Overall Safaricom usage | Calls, SMS, data bundles, airtime top-ups, and M-PESA frequency all count. |
| Account age | Less than six months on the network means a zero limit, full stop. |
If you want the limit that CRB status feeds into to work in your favour, it pays to understand your CRB credit status and clear any negative listing before you even bother refreshing.
How Long Does a Fuliza Limit Increase Take?
Expect gradual growth, not an overnight jump. Safaricom reviews Fuliza limits roughly every three months, and increases tend to come in steps as your usage history builds. Some active users see small bumps every 30 to 60 days, but nobody goes from KSh 0 to KSh 10,000 on a single request. Consistency over a few review cycles is what actually moves the ceiling.
This slow pace is exactly why the scams work so well, which we will get to. The honest version is boring: use the line normally, repay fast, keep a little saved, and let two or three review cycles pass. The limit climbs when the data says you have earned it.
What Does Fuliza Actually Cost?
Fuliza charges a one-off 1% access fee when you borrow, plus a daily maintenance fee (with 20% excise duty on top) that runs at midnight until you clear the balance. Amounts of KSh 1 to 100 are free, and amounts up to KSh 1,000 carry no daily fee for the first three days. The sting is the daily fee on larger, longer balances, not the one-time drawdown.
Here is the current daily maintenance fee by band, shown as the effective charge with the 20% excise duty included:
| Outstanding balance | Effective daily fee (incl. 20% excise) |
| KSh 1 – 100 | KSh 0 |
| KSh 101 – 500 | KSh 3.00 (free for first 3 days) |
| KSh 501 – 1,000 | KSh 6.00 (free for first 3 days) |
| KSh 1,001 – 1,500 | KSh 21.60 |
| KSh 1,501 – 2,500 | KSh 24.00 |
| KSh 2,501 – 70,000 | KSh 30.00 |
Fees reflect the Fuliza tariff as of July 2026. Always confirm the current rates on the official Safaricom Fuliza page before you borrow.
Run the numbers on a real example. Borrow KSh 2,000 and you pay KSh 20 upfront (the 1% access fee). Clear it the next day and you add about KSh 24. Total cost: roughly KSh 44. Let that same KSh 2,000 sit for a week and the daily fee stacks to about KSh 168, pushing your cost near KSh 188. Same loan, four times the price, purely because it sat.
That is the trap. Because incoming M-PESA is used to repay Fuliza before it hits your balance, it is easy to roll the overdraft month after month and never notice how much you are bleeding in daily fees. The cheapest Fuliza is the one you clear before midnight. If you routinely need it for two weeks or more, a flat-fee product often works out cheaper, and it is worth comparing other M-PESA loan apps before you lean on the overdraft as a default.
Note too that an unpaid Fuliza balance can be reported to a CRB if it runs long, which then damages the very score that determines your future limit. Manage it as short-term cover, not a salary top-up.
Watch Out for Fuliza Limit-Increase Scams
Every few weeks someone forwards me a screenshot of a “Fuliza agent” promising to push their limit to KSh 50,000 for a small fee of KSh 500 sent to a number. It is always a scam. There is no agent, no insider, no special app, and no code you pay for that raises your Fuliza limit.
The playbook is predictable. Fraudsters target exactly the people frustrated by a stuck limit. They ask for KSh 200 to KSh 1,000 upfront and then vanish, or they send you a fake “app” that harvests your M-PESA PIN and drains your account. Some claim to work at Safaricom. They don’t.
Safaricom has been clear that Fuliza limit reviews are handled by its banking partners through the *334# menu, and cannot be processed through any website, third party, or self-service platform outside that. If a message asks you to pay to increase your limit, that message is the scam. The only free, real path is the refresh code plus honest usage.
Habits That Grow Your Fuliza Limit Over Time
If you want a durable increase rather than a one-off refresh, build the profile the algorithm rewards. None of these are tricks. They are just what a reliable customer looks like from the bank’s side.
Keep your line genuinely active: buy your bundles and airtime through M-PESA, and keep the SIM topped up. Route real money through the wallet, paying rent, bills, and buy-goods purchases via M-PESA rather than cash where you can. Repay any Fuliza fast, ideally same day, because timely repayment is the single strongest signal. Leave something in M-Shwari or KCB M-PESA instead of sweeping it to zero, since savings behaviour reads as stability. And clear any CRB default, because a negative listing quietly caps everything else.
The deeper move is to need Fuliza less. A limit you rarely touch but can tap in an emergency is the healthiest version of this product. Building a small buffer by learning to save consistently does more for your finances than any overdraft ceiling, and it happens to be exactly the behaviour that grows the ceiling anyway.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Fuliza limit increase code?
Dial *334#, select 00, then choose “Refresh My Limit.” This requests a review of your Fuliza limit. It does not guarantee an increase, since the new figure still depends on your usage and repayment history.
Can I increase my Fuliza limit instantly?
No. Safaricom reviews limits roughly every three months and grows them gradually based on your track record. Anyone promising an instant jump to a specific amount for a fee is running a scam.
Why is my Fuliza limit KSh 0?
A zero limit usually means you have been on the Safaricom network for less than six months, have a thin usage history, or have a negative CRB listing or unpaid mobile loan. Build consistent M-PESA activity and clear any default, then refresh.
Does using Fuliza more increase my limit?
Using and repaying Fuliza responsibly helps, but usage alone is not enough. Safaricom also weighs your calls, SMS, data, top-up frequency, savings, and CRB status. Repaying late while using it heavily can actually push the limit down.
What is the maximum Fuliza limit in Kenya?
Fuliza limits range from KSh 0 for new or high-risk users up to KSh 70,000 or more for long-standing customers with excellent repayment records and heavy M-PESA activity.
Can I borrow from other lenders while I build my Fuliza limit?
Yes. If your Fuliza is low, options like KCB M-PESA, M-Shwari, and app lenders can bridge the gap. See our guide to getting an M-PESA loan without a guarantor for the main choices.
The single most useful thing you can do today is dial *334#, refresh your limit, and then set yourself one rule: clear every Fuliza before midnight. Do that for three review cycles and the number will look after itself.
This article is for general information and is not financial advice. Fuliza is short-term credit; borrow only what you can repay quickly, and confirm current charges on Safaricom’s official channels.
