Hustler Fund: everything happens inside *254#
You borrow and repay the Hustler Fund entirely through *254# on Safaricom, Airtel or Telkom. There is no paybill. Loans run KES 500 to 50,000 at 8% a year over a 14-day term, and 5% of every loan is held as savings.
Borrowing and repaying
How the loan works, what it costs, and why you receive less than you borrowed.
Registering and borrowing
Opting in and taking your first loan
The Hustler Fund reviewed
What it is good for, and what it is not
Cost calculator
What 8% a year works out to on your amount
The 5% savings
Where it goes and how to get it out
Repayment not reflecting
What to check
Every mobile loan route
The wider picture
NYOTA youth grant
A separate scheme: a grant, not a loan
Limits and credit history
Why your limit is what it is, how it grows, and what CRB listing does or does not block.
How it compares
Against the other small-loan options Kenyans actually use.
Hustler Fund vs M-Shwari
Cost and access compared
Every M-PESA loan compared
Fuliza, M-Shwari, KCB M-PESA and more
What a mobile loan really costs
Reading the true rate
Effective APR explained
Why a monthly fee is not a monthly rate
Fuliza
The overdraft, not a loan
The loans hub
Everything lending on paybillke
Safety
The scams that attach themselves to a government loan scheme.
Frequently asked
What is the Hustler Fund code?
*254#, on Safaricom, Airtel or Telkom. Everything happens inside that menu.
Is there a Hustler Fund paybill?
No. Borrowing and repayment both happen in *254#. Anyone offering you a paybill for it is running a scam.
How much can I borrow?
KES 500 to 50,000, growing with on-time repayment.
What is the interest?
8% a year, charged for the days you hold the loan, rising to 9.5% if you repay after the 14-day term.
Why did I receive less than I borrowed?
5% of every loan is held as savings, so a KES 1,000 loan pays out KES 950.
How do I increase my limit?
Borrow and repay on time, repeatedly. On-time repayment is the main driver, and your savings balance also counts.
Checked 13 September 2026. Independent guide; paybillke is not the Hustler Fund or the Government of Kenya. Confirm current terms on hustlerfund.go.ke. Borrow only what you can repay within the 14-day term: late repayment raises the rate and slows limit growth.