One of the key takeaways from Safaricom’s latest financial results was the tremendous growth of Pochi la Biashara, the wallet within M-PESA that allows users to separate business funds from their personal funds.

At 2.2 million, Pochi la Biashara users have now eclipsed Lipa na M-PESA merchants, who stand at 1 million, with the product now hailed as a hidden gem at the company.

A report by the Global System for Mobile systems Association (GSMA) goes behind the scenes to reveal the work that went into growing the numbers, from 600,000 in 2024 to 1.1 million in 2025 and then double to 2.2 million.

The study involved 1,992 women microentrepreneurs using digital financial services in 35 markets across Nairobi, Murang’a, and Kajiado.

It started with an observation: while Pochi was popular with many Kenyans running side hustles, many women traders were not using all the features they knew and were missing out on benefits to their business.

Two features on Pochi make it an ideal product for women traders: senders cannot reverse transactions and cannot see the number of the receiver, which reduces chances of fraud from unscrupulous users and harassment by those with other intentions.

There is more to the product, but users were apparently not aware, and features like the mini-statement, Lipa na Pochi and the ability to sell or buy airtime were not used regularly.

While 48 per cent of new Pochi users knew about the mini statement feature, only 8 per cent of them had used it. For new users, 71 per cent had heard about the Lipa na Pochi feature, but only 53 per cent were using it. And for the airtime feature that enables users to buy or sell airtime, only 34 per cent of new Pochi users were aware of it, but only 7 per cent had used it.

Through targeted text messages, Safaricom began sharing key messages about certain key Pochi features and offering incentives to customers to encourage them to use them. For instance, customers would receive a 5 per cent cash-back payment when they reached a certain threshold of using the Lipa na Pochi feature.

It was also apparent that launching a product is one thing, but getting customers to understand it and use it required consistent follow up.

“Safaricom’s market spot checks indicated that some Pochi users tend to drop off after initial sign-up. In some cases, these users had little to no follow-up engagement or reminders on how to use Pochi and its practical benefits. This led to less active and long-term usage,” says the study.

Another critical lesson from the study was that people learn better when they are shown rather than told about something, while a small incentive encourages them more.

To clear doubts and bust myths, for example, field agents demonstrated that payments or withdrawals could be made directly from Pochi, helping clear up confusion and boost confidence amongst women traders.

Instead of focusing solely on acquiring new customers, Safaricom changed its approach to help existing customers better understand the Pochi features available to them and to encourage more diverse usage.

Additionally, the call centre team reached out to Pochi users to understand the barriers preventing them from utilising certain features and guide them on why and how to use or expand their use of those features. These efforts appear to have borne fruit because Safaricom reported that Pochi usage among women entrepreneurs increased.

For customers who didn’t understand or know how to navigate any of the Pochi features, Safaricom ensured that their trade representatives were physically available to help walk them through the steps on their phone. This “learning by doing” approach improved understanding and built trust.

To reinforce better understanding of the service and usage, trade representatives guide merchants through a hands-on onboarding process to demonstrate the key Pochi features and why they matter to their businesses.

The study revealed that customers simply don’t use a product just because it’s available; they continuously use a product when there is follow-up engagement and reminders. This helps them become more confident and familiar with it. Another finding was that women tend to use a product when it’s recommended. When customers are continuously educated about a product, they are more likely to adopt it, was also another finding.

Another discovery Safaricom made was that women were more likely to adopt Pochi through their peers. The report states that nearly 49 per cent of new Pochi users first learned about the service from friends or family, and 21 per cent adopted it after a recommendation from someone they knew.

The study was also a reminder that products need to meet customers where they are, rather than forcing them to adopt other channels. While 70 per cent of the women interviewed in the study have smartphones, most accessed Pochi via USSD rather than the My OneApp or the M-PESA app. For them, the USSD channel is simple, reliable and does not require data. However, they complained that the USSD steps were too long, yet they still stuck with it. Safaricom therefore responded by reducing the number of steps in the USSD journey.

Perhaps the biggest takeaway from the study is that listening, engaging, and educating customers does not end after the launch. And for Safaricom, particularly for Pochi la Biashara, these insights continue to emerge in how it continuously onboards and engages customers, communicates targeted messages, and improves safety features.

Read the original story published on Safaricom Newsroom here: https://newsroom.safaricom.co.ke/innovation/inside-the-growth-of-pochi-la-biashara/