SHIF
Also known as: Social Health Insurance Fund, SHA SHIF, SHIF contribution
Full definition
SHIF is the contribution mechanism into the Social Health Authority (SHA), the successor to the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) under the Social Health Insurance Act 2023. It went live on 1 October 2024. Every Kenyan household must register with SHA and contribute into SHIF; access to public healthcare and to the SHA-empanelled private hospital network depends on being current on SHIF contributions.
Contribution rate for employees is 2.75 percent of gross monthly pay, minimum KES 300, no upper cap. Employers deduct at source and remit to SHA by the 9th of the following month. Self-employed contributors declare a monthly household income; SHIF is 2.75 percent of that declared income, subject to the same minimum. Households can contribute through M-PESA paybill 200222 (SHA), Airtel Money or eCitizen 222222 with the SHA reference.
Being current on SHIF unlocks SHA benefits: essential healthcare at Level 4 public facilities, chronic and critical illness fund cover, emergency care, maternity, oncology, dialysis. Access rules and specific benefit lists are updated in SHA regulations; paybillke's SHA cluster carries the current lists.
Worked example
An employee earning KES 60,000 gross has SHIF of 60,000 * 2.75% = KES 1,650 deducted monthly. The employer remits it to SHA by the 9th of the next month via paybill 200222 with the employer SHA number as the account.
Verified 2026-09-01. Definitions on paybillke are sourced from Safaricom PLC Annual Report FY2026, the Central Bank of Kenya, the Communications Authority of Kenya, the Kenya Revenue Authority, and the primary operator documentation for each product. How we verify. Report a change.