Safaricom has provided customers with a way to stop promotional messages linked to the Hustler Fund, Bridge Loan and NYOTA programmes after a subscriber asked how to opt out of the repeated texts.
The issue was raised on X on Friday, August 14, after a customer using the handle @KamahStreetwise asked Safaricom Care how to stop receiving the messages.
“How can I stop zile messages za Hustler fund, bridge loan na nyota?” the customer asked.
Safaricom apologised for the inconvenience and directed the subscriber to its promotional-message opt-out service.
“Hello @KamahStreetwise, our sincere apologies for the experience. Kindly dial *456# … select stop, select promotional messages, then select stop by sender’s name and enter the name you would like to deactivate,” Safaricom said.
How to block messages from a specific sender
Customers who want to stop promotional messages from a particular sender can use Safaricom’s USSD service.
The process is:
- Dial *456#.
- Select “STOP”.
- Select “MARKETING MESSAGES” or “PROMOTIONAL MESSAGES”.
- Choose the option to stop promotional messages.
- Select “STOP BY SENDER NAME”.
- Enter the name of the sender whose messages you want to block.
- Follow the prompts to complete the request.
Safaricom has also previously directed customers to use the *456# menu to manage promotional messages and block messages from specific senders.
Customers who do not want any promotional messages can similarly use the menu to select the option for stopping all promotional communication.
What are the Hustler Fund and Bridge Loan?
The messages mentioned by the customer relate to government-backed financial programmes that are promoted to eligible Kenyans through different channels.
The Hustler Fund, officially known as the Financial Inclusion Fund, was launched in 2022 to expand access to affordable credit for individuals, groups and small businesses.
The programme later introduced the Bridge Loan for borrowers who have demonstrated good repayment behaviour.
Unlike the initial Hustler Fund loan, the Bridge Loan is intended to provide qualifying borrowers with access to a larger amount and a longer repayment period.
Eligibility is determined through the programme’s credit assessment and repayment criteria.
What is NYOTA?
NYOTA stands for the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement project.
The government programme focuses on helping young Kenyans access employment, skills development and entrepreneurship opportunities.
Its interventions include apprenticeships, certification and business support, with the programme targeting hundreds of thousands of unemployed young people.
Because such programmes are increasingly promoted through mobile communication channels, subscribers may receive messages about loans, applications, training opportunities and other government initiatives.
What happens when you opt out?
Blocking promotional messages from a particular sender allows customers to stop unwanted marketing communication without necessarily blocking every other message they receive.
This can be useful for subscribers who want to continue receiving important service-related communication while reducing promotional texts.
However, customers should distinguish between promotional messages and essential service notifications, such as transaction confirmations, account alerts or other communications directly related to services they use.
Safaricom’s latest response shows that customers can manage promotional communication through its USSD platform rather than having to contact customer care every time they want to stop a particular category of messages.
For subscribers receiving repeated Hustler Fund, Bridge Loan or NYOTA promotions, the *456# menu therefore provides a direct way to control which promotional messages reach their phones.
