First, Safaricom came with Okoa Jahazi – a service subscribers on the network would use to borrow airtime and repay later. The airtime would be used to make calls, send text messages and actually buy data bundles.
Then they came up with Okoa Data – a service subscribers could use to borrow data bundles directly. Now, after the roll-out of the service, users don’t have to borrow airtime and then in turn use it to buy bundles. Not if they don’t want to.
They can just go to the Okoa Jahazi menu, borrow a data bundle of their choice.
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In this post I am going to show you:
- how to Okoa data on Safaricom using various methods
- check your Okoa Data bundles balance
Table of Contents
- 1 Dial *131# to borrow data bundles via Safaricom Okoa Jahazi menu
- 2 Dial *544# to access the Okoa Data menu
- 3 Dial *100# to borrow Safaricom data bundles
- 3.1 Access the Okoa bundles menu via your Safaricom SIM Toolkit
- 3.2 How to Okoa Safaricom bundles online via the Safaricom online portal
- 3.3 What types of bundles can you borrow from Safaricom
- 3.4 Getting airtime advance vs. borrowing data bundles directly
- 3.5 How to repay your Safaricom Okoa Data debt
- 3.6 How to check your Safaricom data balance
- 3.7 Related
To use this method to borrow data
- Dial *131# on your feature phone, smartphone, tablet, laptop or desktop computer (if using a modem or wireless router)
- Select the option that reads Okoa Bundles. In my phone that is option 6 (6:Okoa Bundles)
Examples of bundles I see on the list (bundles one can borrow) include:
0- Browse products by brand: Tecno, Infinix, Samsung, Huawei, Annov, HP, Garnier, Apple, Android, Ramtons, LG, Oppo, Redmi / Xiaomi, Nokia, X-tigi, iTel, Zuku, DStv, Startimes, GOtv, ZTE, Cubot, Gionee, Realme, Lenovo, Motorola, Oukitel, Oneplus, Bruhm, Phillips, Umidigi, Hisense, GLD, Skyworth, Amazon, Mika, Vivo, Oraimo, Toshiba, Acer, Asus, Syinix, Sayona, Von Hotpoint, Ampex, Sony, Toyota & Honda on Jumia Kenya.
- Daily Okoa 450 MB + 200 MB WhatsApp at KSh 99
- Daily Okoa 120 MB + 200 MB WhatsApp at KSh 50
- Daily Okoa 45 MB + 200 MB WhatsApp at KSh 20
- Daily Okoa 10 MB at KSh 10
- Daily Okoa 5 MB at KSh 5
To Okoa the 5MB @ KSh 5 daily bundle for example, here’s what to do:
- Dial *131#
- Select option 6: Okoa Bundles
- Select option 5: Okoa 5MB for Sh5
- Reply with 1 to Accept or 2 to Decline
- You’ll then see the following: ‘Your request has been received and is being processed. Please wait for an SMS confirmation. Thank you.’
Once you receive the confirmation message, just power your web browser and enjoy surfing the internet.
All these bundles are valid for 24 hours.
- Dial *544#
- Select option 8: Okoa Data
- Select a bundle you want to borrow. At the time of writing this post, only Daily bundles show up on the list.
- To borrow Okoa 450 MB + 200 MB WhatsApp at KSh 99 daily bundle, reply with the corresponding number. In my list that number is 1. So, press Answer, enter 1 and press Send
Here’s the full list of daily bundles on my screen right now:
- Okoa 450 MB + 200 MB WhatsApp at KSh 99
- Okoa 120 MB + 200 MB WhatsApp at KSh 50
- Okoa 45 MB + 200 MB WhatsApp at KSh 20
- Okoa 10 MB at KSh 10
- Okoa 5 MB at KSh 5
Dial *100# to borrow Safaricom data bundles
To use this method
- Dial *100#
- Select option 2: Buy Data Bundles
- Select option 8: Okoa Data
- Then follow the steps in the section above (look at the list of bundles available to you and select one).
- Go to your device’s main menu
- Look for the option that reads Safaricom (SIM Toolkit icon)
- Select Safaricom+
- Select My Account
- Select Top-up services
- Select Okoa Jahazi
- And then just follow the steps above. Basically, go to the option that reads Okoa Bundles and select the bundle you want to borrow.
How to Okoa Safaricom bundles online via the Safaricom online portal
- Open your web browser on your smartphone, tablet, laptop or desktop computer (if using a modem or router).
- In the web address field, enter safaricom.com/bundles
- Scroll down and click on the Okoa Bundle tab
- You’ll see a list of bundles you can borrow listed under Bundles Packages
- Select the bundle you want to borrow by clicking or tapping on it
- Click / tap on the Okoa Bundle button
That’s it
Once you receive the confirmation message, just open another tab and look for whatever you want on the internet.
What types of bundles can you borrow from Safaricom
The kinds of bundles you can borrow differ from line to line. I’ll just give you an example by sharing the same list of bundles I mentioned somewhere at the beginning of this post.
- Daily Okoa 450 MB + 200 MB WhatsApp at KSh 99
- Daily Okoa 120 MB + 200 MB WhatsApp at KSh 50
- Daily Okoa 45 MB + 200 MB WhatsApp at KSh 20
- Daily Okoa 10 MB at KSh 10
- Daily Okoa 5 MB at KSh 5
Getting airtime advance vs. borrowing data bundles directly
Looking at the list above, what would happen if I wanted to purchase a weekly bundle like the 350 MB + 1.5 GB WhatsApp bundle at KSh 99? I’d go to the Okoa Data menu to see if there are any such bundles. If I find none, I’d dial *131# to see how much airtime I could borrow.
If the amount is anywhere near KSh 100 after the service fee has been deducted, I’d then use my Okoa Jahazi airtime to buy the 7-day bundle via the *544# menu. I’d do this if my data consumption is low – and I’m not after daily bundles.
1- Browse latest clothes, shoes, baby fashion, kid’s fashion, women’s fashion & men’s fashion, electronics, feature phones, smartphones, laptops, tablets, power banks, memory cards, smart watches, on Jumia.
So, anytime you don’t see the bundle you want in the Okoa Data menu but see it in the 544 Internet Bundles menu (or Tunukiwa Internet Bundles menu), you can simply take an airtime advance via the *131# USSD shortcode, then use what’s left after the service fee has been deducted to buy a data bundle from the *544# or *444# menus.
How to repay your Safaricom Okoa Data debt
How do you repay your advance? Simple. Just top up your line.
The moment you top up, Safaricom will dive into your account, take what they are owed and jump back out.
There isn’t much to do.
Just top up and leave the rest to them.
They make repaying what they are owed so easy.
How to check your Safaricom data balance
To check you data balance, just dial *544*44#.
Or dial *544# -> and select option 9: Balance -> and wait for a text message with your bundle balance details.
2- Browse latest TVs, fridges, microwaves, dispensers, cookers, furniture, kitchenware, vacuum cleaners, washing machines, headphones, earphones / headsets, phone cases, chargers, MiFi routers, bluetooth speakers on Jumia.
I wrote a few posts that I think you might find useful:
- How to check Safaricom data bundle balance.
- Safaricom Tunukiwa data bundles (internet, gifts, bonga points & hot deals).
- How to check Safaricom airtime balance (Prepay and Postpaid).
- How to buy Safaricom internet data bundles.
- How to borrow Safaricom airtime via Okoa Jahazi or check balance.
Enjoyed this post? Read my other posts about Safaricom products and services here.
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