Losing access to a Safaricom line is every M-PESA user’s nightmare, especially in a country where the mobile money platform is used to receive salaries, pay bills, access loans and store savings.

But what really happens if your Safaricom line is deactivated for inactivity? Does your M-PESA money disappear together with the number?

The question has resurfaced after Safaricom publicly clarified its policy following a customer’s attempt to recover a recycled mobile number, reigniting debate among millions of subscribers over the fate of dormant M-PESA accounts.

Safaricom responds to customer over recycled line

The clarification came after an X user identified as @derroh_ asked Safaricom whether he could recover an old mobile number that had allegedly been reassigned.

In its public response, Safaricom Care stated:

“When you fail to top up airtime for more than six months, the line is deactivated and recycled. Funds in the M-PESA account are recycled. Please buy another Safaricom line.”

The customer later asked whether it was possible to reclaim the number, prompting Safaricom to move the discussion to private messages.

The exchange sparked confusion online, with many users interpreting the response to mean that customers permanently lose money held in their M-PESA wallets once their lines are recycled.

However, Safaricom’s official customer terms paint a more nuanced picture.

What the official M-PESA terms say

According to the Safaricom M-PESA Customer Terms and Conditions updated in 2025, a customer whose line remains inactive for 90 days first has the SIM card suspended.

If inactivity continues, Safaricom may archive the associated M-PESA account and eventually recycle the mobile number in accordance with regulatory requirements.

Crucially, the terms provide protection for customer funds.

They state:

“Money held to your credit shall not be lost… and shall be availed to you upon notice… of the activation of a new mobile telephone number.”

In simple terms, the money in an M-PESA account is not automatically forfeited simply because a phone number has been recycled.

Instead, customers remain entitled to recover the funds after completing the required identification and account recovery procedures.

When can you actually lose the money?

Although customers retain ownership of their M-PESA balances after line deactivation, there is an important legal deadline.

If the funds remain unclaimed for more than two years, they are transferred to the Unclaimed Financial Assets Authority (UFAA) in accordance with Kenyan law.

Even then, the money does not become Safaricom’s property. Instead, it is held by the Authority until claimed by its rightful owner through the prescribed legal process.

Why Safaricom recycles numbers

The recycling of inactive numbers is not unique to Safaricom.

The Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) requires mobile network operators to recycle dormant numbers to ensure efficient utilisation of the country’s limited numbering resources.

Without recycling, millions of unused mobile numbers would remain locked indefinitely, making it difficult to allocate new numbers to customers.

New service aims to solve the problem

Recognising that many subscribers keep secondary SIM cards or travel abroad for extended periods, Safaricom recently introduced Daima, a service designed to help customers retain their numbers without the need for regular airtime top-ups.

The service targets customers living overseas, students in boarding schools and universities, users with multiple SIM cards and anyone who wants to preserve a number that is rarely used.

The subscription costs Ksh200 for six months, Ksh500 for one year, and Ksh1,000 for two years.

Each package also includes 20 minutes of calls and 20 SMS every month across all networks.

Customers can activate Daima through the MySafaricom App or by dialling 1004#.

Speaking during the launch, Safaricom CEO Peter Ndegwa said the service was developed in response to customer feedback.

“We are yet again innovating around our customers’ needs,” he said.

Can you recover a recycled number?

Safaricom also offers a “Recreate Old SIM” service through 1002# for eligible customers whose numbers have not been fully recycled.

The service allows subscribers to restore access to their old line within the prescribed recovery period, although eligibility depends on whether the number has already been reassigned to another customer.

Once a number has been fully recycled and allocated elsewhere, recovering it becomes significantly more difficult or impossible.

How to avoid losing your Safaricom line

Customers can avoid deactivation by ensuring their line remains active through regular usage.

Activities that typically count as usage include:

• Purchasing airtime.
• Making phone calls.
• Sending SMS messages.
• Using mobile data.
• Conducting M-PESA transactions.

Alternatively, subscribers who rarely use their lines can enrol in the Daima service to preserve their numbers for longer periods.