Safaricom has recorded strong growth in its merchant payments platform Pochi la Biashara, with women micro-entrepreneurs emerging as the fastest-growing users of the service, according to a new report by the GSMA and research partners IDinsight and YUX.
The report shows that Pochi la Biashara generated KSh 1.68 billion (approximately $12.9 million) in revenue during the first half of fiscal year 2026, underscoring the growing role of Kenya’s informal economy in driving digital financial services.
Women users recorded the sharpest growth on the platform, with active female users increasing by about 92 percent between December 2024 and December 2025, compared to 78 percent growth among men. Women now make up slightly more than 52 percent of active Pochi users, representing over 900,000 merchants nationwide.
The findings point to Safaricom’s expanding focus on small-scale traders, especially women operating informal businesses who have historically remained underserved by formal banking systems and traditional financial products.
Introduced in 2020, Pochi la Biashara enables traders to separate personal and business finances through a dedicated M-PESA wallet. The platform also offers features such as non-reversible customer payments, mini-statements for transaction tracking, airtime sales commissions, savings and investment tools, and access to working-capital loans.
Researchers found that many women entrepreneurs were particularly attracted to features that addressed common challenges in informal trade, including fraudulent transaction reversals, poor financial tracking, and difficulties managing daily business cash flow.
According to the study, many users reported improved financial discipline and stronger business performance after adopting the platform. About 35.6 percent of new users said they were saving more money, while 24.2 percent reported increased sales.
One trader from Kajiado County quoted in the report said:
“Pochi makes me feel like the CEO of my business. I’m in control, I track my money, and I’m able to support my family.”
Safaricom has also seen commercial gains from the service’s expansion. The number of Pochi accounts grew by 72.6 percent year-on-year to approximately 1.5 million accounts in the first half of fiscal 2026, while the company’s broader merchant base expanded by more than 55 percent.
The research surveyed 1,992 women micro-entrepreneurs across Nairobi, Murang’a, and Kajiado counties. It found that peer influence and face-to-face onboarding remained among the strongest drivers of adoption, despite Kenya’s already mature mobile money ecosystem.
The study also identified safety and privacy concerns among women traders using digital payments. Some merchants reported harassment from customers who obtained their phone numbers through payment stickers displayed at shops and market stalls.
In response, Safaricom has removed phone numbers from payment notifications and is developing additional privacy and security features expected to roll out in 2026 as part of efforts to make digital financial services safer and more inclusive for women entrepreneurs.