Safaricom has announced a scheduled system upgrade on the Fuliza platform that will briefly affect customers early on Monday, 17 November 2025. According to the notice, Fuliza services may be intermittent between 0100 hrs and 0200 hrs, while other M PESA services are expected to remain available.
The operator says the work is part of ongoing efforts to keep its digital financial products always on, safe, secure and worry free. Choosing a late night window should limit disruption for most users, although night shift workers, online traders and late travellers may still feel the impact.
Why this maintenance matters
Fuliza is the M-PESA overdraft facility that lets customers complete transactions even when their wallet balance is at zero. Techish previously explained how the service works, including eligibility rules and fees.
The product has become a major revenue source for Safaricom, which is why the company keeps tweaking pricing and terms, including earlier reductions in Fuliza interest charges. Our analysis has also shown how deeply Fuliza is now woven into Safaricom’s business model.
This upgrade comes after a wider three hour M PESA maintenance in September, when the whole platform was taken offline for a planned migration. It also follows a recent incident where some customers found Fuliza not working at all and Safaricom confirmed engineers were working on a fix.
How users can prepare
If you rely on Fuliza, it is safer to adjust your plans around the maintenance window.
- Complete important Fuliza backed payments before 0100 hrs or delay them until after 0200 hrs.
- Keep a small positive M-PESA balance where possible so you can still transact without Fuliza.
- Have alternatives ready, such as cash, a bank card or another mobile money option.
- When paying during the window, wait for confirmation messages before assuming a transaction has gone through.
