Why fintech must align their products with the needs of consumers
Opinion
By
Annstella Mumbi
| Sep 17, 2025
Thirteen years after the launch of Kenya’s first fintech, M-Shwari, the country has made tremendous strides in expanding access to credit and advancing financial inclusion for everyday Kenyans.
However, despite this progress, a weak savings culture and financially unhealthy behaviours are emerging as critical weak links that threaten to undermine these gains
For millions of Kenyans running small kiosks, riding boda bodas, or working in the informal sector, the true measure of progress is whether financial services help them build resilience, ease financial stress, and unlock opportunities that can truly transform their lives.
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Tala’s 2025 Impact Report, developed in partnership with 60 Decibels, provides fresh evidence of how transformative well-designed fintech products can be.
An overwhelming 93 per cent of digital credit customers reported an improvement in their quality of life since using the services, 67 per cent reported increased income, while more than 90 per cent said the loans helped them address urgent needs such as school fees, medical bills, and business cash flow gaps.
These figures are not just statistics; they represent families kept afloat, businesses preserved, and futures secured.
These findings also challenge fintechs to think beyond credit access. For most Kenyans, financial health is not defined by one-off transactions, but by systems that help them withstand shocks, invest in growth, and gain control of their financial future. Products that fail to recognise this risk trap people in cycles of stress rather than setting them on a path toward empowerment.
Take, for example, the report’s finding that 60 per cent of women using Tala now feel more confident in making financial decisions. This is a powerful reminder that financial services are not only economic tools, but also social equalisers.
When women gain financial confidence, households become more stable, children are more likely to remain in school, and communities are better positioned to thrive. If fintech products are not designed with these broader outcomes in mind, we risk missing the opportunity to unlock truly lasting impact.
The call to action is clear: fintech innovation must align with the financial health journey of everyday Kenyans. That requires designing products with three priorities in mind.
First, flexibility. For most people, life is unpredictable. Financial products must also adapt to irregular income flows instead of penalising them.
Second, affordability and transparency. Trust grows when customers know exactly what they are paying for and can see value. Hidden charges and complex terms and conditions have no place in truly inclusive finance.
Third, pathways to growth. Credit should do more than fill short-term gaps; it should create stepping stones for the future.
By helping customers build credit histories, access savings opportunities, or gain financial education, fintech can enable the shift from merely surviving to truly thriving.
As financial services providers, our commitment must be to listen, learn, and innovate with customers at the centre.
When fintech delivers real impact, it doesn’t just change individual lives; it transforms millions of futures and, with them, the future of Kenya.
The writer is General Manager, Tala Kenya