How Separating Business Money from Personal Cash Is Helping Kenyan Women Grow Their Businesses

A new study on Safaricom’s Pochi la Biashara reveals that Kenyan female micro-entrepreneurs are using technology to improve business management, increase savings, and better control their finances.

The study found that separating business finances from personal money has helped women track income, reinvest in their enterprises, and make more deliberate spending decisions.

The report shows that micro-enterprises remain central to Kenya’s economy, supporting livelihoods and contributing around 85% of non-farm employment while accounting for roughly 15 million jobs.

It further notes that women are more likely than men to run their own businesses, with 74.4% of working women self-employed compared with 57.4% of working men.

However, women entrepreneurs continue to face barriers, including limited working capital, unpredictable customer demand, digital skills gaps, and challenges balancing household responsibilities with business operations.

“Women micro-entrepreneurs in Kenya are also less likely than their male counterparts to use digital financial services (DFS) on a mobile phone to manage and grow their business,” the report noted.

Digital Wallets Revolutionising Women’s Management of Finances

According to the research findings, the Pochi la Biashara offered by Safaricom in 2020 was specifically crafted to solve the problems experienced by small-scale merchants in a bid to help them segregate money earned through businesses and personal finances.

This includes the use of a merchant wallet attached to M-Pesa, where entrepreneurs are able to manage their finances more effectively.

Features such as dual wallets, mini-statements, protection from any reversal of payments, selling of airtime, and saving as well as working capital through Taasi loans were included in response to the concerns of the merchants, which included the mixing up of household and business money and payment reversals.

Also Read:Safaricom’s Ziidi Trader Wins Fintech of the Year 2026 at African Banker Awards

Women using this digital wallet have been able to practice more financial discipline and better business performance.

The study found that users experienced increased savings, higher sales, greater investment in their businesses, better financial tracking, and more intentional spending.

One entrepreneur from Kajiado explained the difference the service made.

“I experienced a change because when I transfer money into Pochi, I will not be able to withdraw it for personal use. When I save my money in Pochi, it is safe. When I was not saving there, I would see items and buy unnecessarily. My savings have increased with Pochi,” the entrepreneur said.

Another trader in Murang’a highlighted how separating finances improved visibility.

“Before Pochi, I’d use the same money to buy supper. Now, I know what belongs to the shop,” the trader mentioned.

Women Have Outnumbered Men As Pochi Users.

According to the findings of the report, the rate at which women entrepreneurs have taken up Pochi has been relatively higher.

The increase in the number of women using Pochi rose by 92% from December 2024 to December 2025, whereas the number of men rose by 78% in the same period.

In December 2025, more than 52% of Pochi users were women, which equals over 900,000 users.

Researchers found that the ability to control money was a major reason women continued using the platform.

“Pochi makes me feel like the CEO of my business. I’m in control, I track my money, and I’m able to support my family,” a woman entrepreneur from Kajiado said.

The study also found that safety features played an important role in building trust.

Women traders cited concerns about payment reversals, privacy, and harassment as barriers to using digital financial services.

“Sometimes after a customer pays me through Pochi, they start calling or texting me later for no reason. They get my number from the sticker,” One entrepreneur said.

Also Read: Safaricom Secures 25- Year Licence as Fees Rise by Ksh 1.7 Billion.

Lessons For Digital Finance Providers

The report also states that designing products around women entrepreneurs’ real challenges is critical for adoption.

It adds that separating business and personal finances, preventing payment reversals, and improving privacy directly influenced women’s willingness to use merchant payment solutions.

It also found that trusted human support accelerated adoption, with many women learning about Pochi through fellow business owners and Safaricom representatives.

The research indicated that 60% of new users said engagement with Safaricom trade representatives was a key factor in their decision to adopt the service.

The report recommends that digital financial service providers invest in customer-focused design, strong agent networks, practical demonstrations, safety features, and multiple access channels such as USSD and mobile applications.

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2026 survey shows digital wallets help women micro-entrepreneurs save, borrow and build credit, transforming how they manage money and grow businesses Kenya. PHOTO/ File