HELB Breaks Silence After Beneficiary Goes Viral Over CRB Blacklisting

The Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) has responded after a social media influencer, Abuya Masta, went viral for claiming that he had been listed with the Credit Reference Bureau (CRB) over an outstanding student loan.

Abuya shared a screenshot of a message allegedly from Swipe Auctioneers indicating that his HELB loan had risen to Ksh 210,015.79 from the initial Ksh 120,000 due to accumulated interest.

“Dear Masta, your Higher Education Loans Board loan of Ksh 210,015.79 is now at Swipe Auctioneers. URGENTLY pay the loan today to avoid tough recovery actions. Call 0116503227,” read the message.

HELB Responds After Beneficiary Complains of Being Listed on CRB

The influencer expressed frustration over the development, posting, “HELB has blacklisted me and listed me on CRB.”

His post has since gone viral, triggering mixed reactions from Kenyans, with many questioning HELB’s loan recovery methods and rising interest rates.

One user, Mathenge Karugu, questioned the involvement of external debt collectors, saying, “I am curious, why is HELB using an external private company instead of handling recovery internally?”

Another user, Flip Genius, expressed concern over interest accumulation, saying, “I took a loan of Ksh 160,000 and have paid almost Ksh 80,000, yet my balance is now Ksh 205,000.”

Also Read: HELB Warns Kenyans Against Fraudulent Recruitments

In response to the viral post, HELB, in a statement dated Tuesday, February 24, 2026, urged the beneficiary to contact the board and arrange a repayment plan.

“Good morning, Masta. Repaying your HELB loan helps empower the dreams of another deserving Kenyan. Kindly feel free to reach out to us via DM so we can discuss and agree on a suitable repayment plan that works best for you,” HELB said.

How to Repay the Loan

Abuya’s complaint comes amid the Loans Board cracking down on beneficiaries who have defaulted on paying their loans.

Speaking in a recent interview with The Kenya Times on February 9, 2026, HELB CEO Geoffrey Monari said loan recovery remains one of the board’s biggest challenges, as many beneficiaries have defaulted on repayments.

He noted that beneficiaries who are unemployed must submit status updates every six months after the one-year grace period, while those in formal employment are required to begin repayment immediately.

Also Read: HELB Announces 32 Job Vacancies: How to Apply

Monari warned that failure to repay HELB loans may result in listing with CRB or referral to licensed debt collectors.

HELB beneficiaries can repay their loans through several channels, including USSD (*642#), the HELB mobile app, the HELB self-service portal, or employer remittance.

Borrowers can select the repayment option, enter the amount, and complete payment via M-Pesa or other available methods. Once payment is successful, borrowers receive SMS confirmation from HELB.

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Kenyans Seeking HELB Services at Huduma Centre in Kenya. PHOTO/NMG