When it comes to mobile banking and mobile money services, Kenya takes a solid lead, the country has managed to be a benchmark to the world and adding to that already long list of mobile banking products is M-Fanisi.
M-Fanisi is mobile banking product that has been developed by Maisha Microfinance Bank in partnership with Airtel Kenya to offer Airtel Money customers access to easy and quick banking services such as access to loans and savings via their mobile phones.
To access the service, users will dial *222# and select Loans and Products option then select M-Fanisi. At first, users will have to link their Airtel Money account to M-Fanisi and once that is done they are good to go. Active Airtel Money users will have instant access to loans ranging from as low as Ksh.100 to Ksh.150,000, however, if you have not been active on Airtel Money, you will be required to transact on M-Fanisi to qualify for a loan.
M-Fanisi has been undergoing a pilot for the past 45 days, where over 50,000 customers signed up for the service, out of which 20,000 have accessed loans. According to Airtel CEO, Prasanta Das Sarma, M-Fanisi serves as a value-added service to Airtel Money subscribers, which will ensure that their customers get “more for less” not just in voice, SMS and data but also in mobile money services.
Airtel also announced that they have increased Airtel Money agents base to 22,000 up from 10,000, in a bid to encourage more Kenyans to sign up for Airtel Money.
Like their competitor, M-Shwari, M-Fanisi loans do not attract any interest rates, but before you run to take up a loan, note that there is a facility fee which is dependent on the loan period, that is;
- 7-day loans attract a facility fee of 3.03%
- 14-day loans attract a facility fee of 5.05%
- 30-day loans attract a facility fee of 8.25%
Aside from loans, M-Fanisi users can also deposit money in their virtual accounts, which will see them earn interest of up to 11.25% per annum for fixed deposits, 2% per annum for transaction account and 7% per annum for the savings account.
