Want to learn how to borrow airtime and data on Airtel Kenya? I am going to show you the various methods you can use to get an advance (airtime or data) which you can repay later (when you to up your line). Note that this service can be accessed on any Airtel Kenya prepaid line by dialing these USSD codes: *100# or *544#.

Airtel Kopa Kredo / Credo

To borrow airtime on your Airtel Kenya, you will have to use the Kopa Credo option. If you want an idea of the kinds of airtime denominations you might find, I’ll give you an example of the current list on my Airtel Kenya line:

• KSh 250
• KSh 100
• KSh 50
• KSh 20
• KSh 10
• KSh 5

Now what you might see on your own line might be different.

The example above is from a line that I use once in awhile to browse the web using Airtel’s 2 GB daily data bundle at Kenya Shillings 99.

Meaning I usually top up my Airtel line with about KSh 100 airtime via M-PESA or scratch cards.

If you load your line regularly with a sum that is above KSh 100, chances are that Airtel will allow you to borrow airtime of higher denominations compared to the numbers I have listed above.

Airtel Kopa Data / Internet

If you use your Airtel Kenya line to access the internet, obviously you’ll need to buy a data bundle to enjoy their services.

But when times are tough or you don’t have money on you but quickly want to check something online, you can use the Kopa Internet option on your line to borrow data – and repay later when you top up.

Examples of bundle sizes I see on my Kopa Internet menu:

• 2GB+WhatsApp @Sh 250 bundle valid for 7 days
• 500MB+WhatsApp @Sh 100 bundle valid for 7 days
• 2GB+WhatsApp @Sh 99 bundle valid for 1 day
• 200MB+WhatsApp @Sh 50 bundle valid for 7 days
• 100MB+WhatsApp @Sh 20 bundle valid for 1 day
• 40MB @Sh 10 bundle valid for 1 day
• 8MB @Sh 5 bundle valid for 1 day

And note that these are bundles you’re likely to get if you top up your line with KSh 100 once in awhile. And like I mentioned before, I usually spend my airtime on the daily 2 GB Airtel Kenya data bundle. The highest I’ve paid for a bundle is Kenya Shillings 300 – for the 1.5GB monthly bundle.

Airtel Kopa UnlimiNet

Another option available to Airtel Kenya subscribers is the option to borrow cash or Unliminet bundles. If you access the Kopa Services menu by dialing *100#, the third option on the menu will be one you can use to borrow cash. It is called Kopa Cash – a service similar to the loan and savings services available to Safaricom M-PESA users (M-Shwari / KCB M-PESA). And to borrow money to your Airtel Money account (if you qualify) that is the option you’ll need to use (dialing *222# -> and selecting option 4. Loans & Savings).

On the other hand, accessing the Kopa Services menu by dialing *544# will give you a different menu. Instead of the third item reading Kopa Cash, it will be reading ‘for Kopa UnlimiNet’. And if you want examples of UnlimiNet bundles you can borrow from your Airtel Kenya line, check the list below.

Airtel Weekly UnlimiNet data bundles

• UnlimiNet 250 at KSh 250 valid for 7 days. With this bundle you get 350 MB, 500 SMS, 50 Minutes to Airtel and 50 Minutes to call other networks. You’ll be charged a service fee of KSh 25.
• UnlimiNet 50 at KSh 50 valid for 7 days. With this bundle you get 50 MB, 50 SMS, 5 Minutes to Airtel and 5 Minutes to call other networks. You’ll be charged a service fee of KSh 5.

Airtel Daily Unliminet data bundles

• UnlimiNet 100 at KSh 100 valid for 24 hours. With this bundle you get 150 MB, 500 SMS and 60 Minutes to call all networks. You’ll be charged a service fee of KSh 10.
• UnlimiNet 50 at KSh 50 valid for 24 hours. With this bundle you get 50 MB, 100 SMS, 10 Minutes to Airtel and 10 Minutes to call other networks. You’ll be charged a service fee of KSh 5.
• UnlimiNet 20 at KSh 20 valid for 24 hours. With this bundle you get 10 MB, 20 SMS, 4 Minutes to Airtel and 4 Minutes to call other networks. You’ll be charged a service fee of KSh 2.

Dial *100# to borrow airtime / data on your Airtel Kenya line

To borrow airtime, follow the steps below

• Dial *100#
• Select option 6: Kopa & Other Services
• Select option 1: Kopa Services
• Select option 1: Kopa Kredo
• To borrow KSh 100 airtime for example, select option 2. for 100/-

Your account will be credited with 90 Shillings. You will be charged a service fee of KSh 10. The amount you’ve borrowed will be recovered on your next top up.

To borrow data follow the steps below

• Dial *100#
• Select option 6: Kopa & Other Services
• Select option 1: Kopa Services
• Select option 1: Kopa Data
• To borrow the 7-day 2GB+WhatsApp bundle for example, select option 1
• If you want to purchase a different bundle, say the 2 GB daily bundle, select option 3.

Dial *544# to borrow airtime / data on your Airtel Kenya line

To borrow airtime, follow the steps below

• Dial *544#
• Select option 6: Kopa
• Select option 1: for Kopa Credo
• To borrow KSh 250 airtime for example, select option 1. for 250/-

To borrow internet bundles follow the steps below

• Dial *544#
• Select option 6: Kopa
• Select option 2: for Kopa Internet
• To borrow the 7-day 500 MB+WhatsApp bundle  for example, select option 2
• If you want to purchase a different bundle, say the 2 GB daily bundle, select option 3.

Dial *544# to borrow UnlimiNet bundles (get data, minutes and text messages)

• Dial *544#
• Select option 6: Kopa
• Select option 3: for Kopa UnlimiNet
• Reply with 1 for Weekly UnlimiNet or 2 for Daily UnlimiNet
• Then select the specific weekly or daily bundle you want to purchase (I’ve shown you some examples above).

When to use Airtel Kopa

• During emergencies. The service can become handy when you have to make an urgent call.
• To quickly share something online on your social media accounts. If you have media that is time-sensitive, you can borrow internet bundles, upload it and then repay the advance later.
• To buy another Airtel Kenya line voice, text or SMS bundles.
• Na kama wakenya, kukopa wakati uko hali ya msoto. <<Using the service when money is tight>>

Things you need to know after borrowing airtime or data from Airtel Kenya

What happens if you want to borrow again before repaying the amount you were loaned? You’ll see a notification that reads something like this: ‘You have reached your maximum borrowing limit. You owe Ksh 100. You owe Ksh 100/-‘

You’ll then be prompted to enter 99 to Repay Advance.

Did you know that using your unused Kopa Credo airtime towards repayment of your airtime advance is possible? For example, if you borrow airtime by mistake, you can immediately send back the money given to you by Airtel (minus the service fee of course). I don’t think if I’ve seen this with Safaricom Okoa Jahazi.

Getting & repaying Kenya Shillings 100 Airtel Kopa Credo airtime

I borrowed KSh 100 when I was writing this post and immediately used the approx. KSh 90 Kopa Credo in my account to repay the loan – and got this message: ‘Dear Customer, KSh 89.91 has been deducted from your account to repay your Kopa loan. You still owe KShs .10.09’

Why am I telling you this?

To show you how you can check your outstanding debt, especially if you have made a partial payment like I did.

To check your outstanding debt:

• Dial *544#
• Select option 6: Kopa
• Then select option 5: Check Debt

Then comes a notification. Mine read as follows: ‘You owe 10.09/- advance credit’

Topping up to repay your Airtel Kopa Credo debt

Next thing I did, I went to a shop to buy Airtel Kenya scratch card worth KSh 20. I ended up purchasing two KSh 10 scratch cards so I could repay the debt and access the Kopa menu (so I could finish writing the article).

I waited awhile after loading the airtime. Then came the SMS notifying me that my debt was now fully settled: ‘Dear customer Shs 10.09 has been deducted from your account to repay your Kopa loan. Your loan has been fully repaid.’

Looks like someone is teaching themselves how to make free money offering a service loaning people money at an interest. Did I hear someone say, ‘Supply and demand.’? Or did they say, ‘Hail capitalism.’?

Conclusion

Airtel automatically deducts money from your account to repay your debt once you top up. But they are not as fast in deducting money from your account as Safaricom is – from what I observed. Is the delay deliberate? May be. So if they are taking too long before deducting the money, you can just:

• Dial *544#
• Select option 6: Kopa
• Then enter 99 to Repay Advance

And yes, this is a great service. Couldn’t finish the post without saying that. Any time you want to kopa, and you have a good reason for doing so, just access the Kopa service using *100# or *544# USSD shortcodes.

Navigating the Kopa Services menu

• Use 0 for main
• Use 00 for Help
• Use # for Back. But while two or three levels deeper in the menu, use 90 to go one step back
• Use the letter n for Next. Sometimes you’ll have to use *

Have anything you’d like to add? Let me know in the comments below.

To read my other posts on Airtel Kenya products and services, go to this category.

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