Safaricom and EDOMx have partnered to launch Faraja, a service that will enable more than 32 million customers buy on credit from businesses on Lipa Na M-PESA. Faraja enables customers to make purchases of between KSh. 20 and KSh. 100,000 at zero interest fee and complete the payment within 30 days.
Customers can access the service at businesses which offer Faraja by dialling *799# to opt-in or make a payment, or by selecting the Faraja mini-app on the M-PESA Super App. In addition, customers can purchase multiple items simultaneously under Faraja as long as they are within their assigned credit limits.
According to Julian Kyula, CEO, EDOMx, “ We are just getting started – there is much more in the pipeline that enables everyone into the Faraja Community to enjoy what we have to offer. We care about doing business in a way that is consistent with our values, as much as we value the well-being of our customers and the growth of our partners’ businesses. “
Globally, there is need for zero interest Buy Now Pay Later product such as Faraja. According to a Deloitte report, e-commerce sales in North America for 2021 totaled $870 billion, and buy now, pay later (BNPL) accounted for approximately $33 billion of that amount, or 3.8%, which is up from 1.6% the year prior. By 2025, it is expected that the dozens of BNPL firms competing in the US market will represent 9% of the share of e-commerce, a value of nearly $180 billion.
Faraja is begging in Kenya, but with eyes on the global market. Faraja is also expected to encourage creativity in the digital financial sector to fulfil inclusivity goals and true sector deepening. There is no doubt the global digital financial frontier is shifting, and we believe that we have much to offer the world from our Kenyan digital innovation culture.
“We continue to innovate M-PESA to empower business owners with different tools and solutions to run their businesses better and to faster grow their firms. Many businesses lose out on sales when a customer would like to make a purchase but lacks money at that point. We are glad to partner with EDOMx to offer Faraja empowering any business to grow their sales by enabling their customers to buy now and pay later,” said Peter Ndegwa, CEO – Safaricom.
Faraja seeks to enable business owners to grow their sales and business by enabling their customers to make a purchase at the point of need then make payments later.
Businesses on Lipa Na M-PESA can opt into the service through the Faraja portal at farajacredit.com or by contacting EDOMx. Customers can use their service at any Lipa Na M-PESA outlet that offers Faraja. Currently, the service is available across all Naivas outlets, Goodlife pharmacies, City Walk amongst other merchants.
Businesses on the service will receive payment in full for a product or service immediately a customer makes a payment through the service.
Safaricom will enable EDOMx offer the Faraja service to more than 606,000 businesses on Lipa Na M-PESA at a negotiated facility fee payable by the business. EDOMx will extend credit to businesses on the solution enabling them to receive payments immediately a customer makes a purchase on Faraja.