• About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
Android Kenya
  • Home
  • News
  • Apps
  • Gadgets
  • Reviews
  • Deals
  • How To
  • Knowledge Base
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Apps
  • Gadgets
  • Reviews
  • Deals
  • How To
  • Knowledge Base
No Result
View All Result
Android Kenya
No Result
View All Result
Home News

Latest Google Play policy update deals a blow to popular short-term loan apps

Emmanuel Chenze by Emmanuel Chenze
August 22, 2019
in News
1
Latest Google Play policy update deals a blow to popular short-term loan apps
FacebookTwitterWhatsApp

That mobile loan apps in Kenya are on a roll has not been in question. Given the tough economic situations many Kenyans find themselves in, and the high mobile penetration in the country, it has never been easier to apply for and get approved to receive a short-term loan within minutes.

In fact, the latest data from analytics platform SimilarWeb shows that out of the top 10 free apps on the Google Play Store, 4 are apps from the finance category and all of them offer loans: Tala, Branch, OKash and OPesa.

The last two, OKash and OPesa, have become a law unto themselves by exploiting the ignorance of their users to sneak in terms of use that grossly violate their privacy, as we have noted before.

As for Tala, which ranks first on the Google Play Store among apps listed in the finance category in the country, and second among all apps (after WhatsApp), it just announced yesterday the closure of a USD 110 million round of funding “to accelerate financial inclusion around the world”. The app, previously known as Mkopo Rahisi (“easy loans”), has been available in the country for the last 5 years and while it has operations in several other countries around the world, including in neighbouring Tanzania, its Nairobi office is the largest, so as to handle its 2.5 million local user base.

What the top 4 loan apps in Kenya have in common with tens of others that have been widely embraced by Kenyans is not only their ease of access and short loan approval period, thanks to analytics and automation, but also their short repayment period.

This is where the problem lies. A recent update by Google to its developer policies now indicates that such apps may not be welcome on the Google Play Store.

“We do not allow apps that promote personal loans which require repayment in full in 60 days or less from the date the loan is issued (we refer to these as “short-term personal loans”). This policy applies to apps which offer loans directly, lead generators, and those who connect consumers with third-party lenders,” reads an update to the policy.

On this technicality, OKash and OPesa appear to be off the hook with each of their app pages on the Play Store indicating their shortest loan period as 91 days. Both Branch and Tala still state that they offer loans for periods shorter than the 2-month period that Google requires: at least 4 weeks for the former and at least 3 for the latter, at least going by the description on their Play Store app pages.

Another application, Timiza, from the Barclays Bank of Kenya, unlike the 4 which seem to comply with the other Google Play policy requiring developers of loan applications to list the minimum and maximum repayment periods as well as the maximum Annual Percentage Rate (APR), does not list any of the required details on its page.

READ:  Google cracks the whip on cryptocurrency miners and apps that add no value to users

While the aforementioned apps are out and out lending apps, it is not clear how the same policy is being approached with regards to other applications that also include short-term personal credit facility provisions among the other features they are known for and how that will affect them in the long run.

Join our Telegram channel
Previous Post

Google officially announces the Play Store’s visual redesign

Next Post

ARCore support comes to Tecno Phantom 9 and Infinix Note 6

Related Posts

Android-15
Apps

Google is making it harder to install Android apps outside the Play Store

September 19, 2024
Google-Play-collections-widget
Apps

Google Play gets new ‘Collections’ widget, your one-stop content shop

July 31, 2024
Google-Play-Store-logo
News

New Google Play app policy threatens independent developers

July 31, 2024
Next Post
Google ARCore

ARCore support comes to Tecno Phantom 9 and Infinix Note 6

Comments 1

  1. Pingback: Google cracks the whip to curb misleading Android app subscriptions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Subscribe to our newsletter

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Redmi-Note-13-4G

Redmi Note 13 series guaranteed 4 years of Android software updates until 2028

January 30, 2024
Tecno Spark 3 Pro-10

How to fix OTG connected pop-up error on Tecno phones

July 28, 2019
Oppo-A5-Pro-in-Kenya

Here’s the global average selling price of Android phones vs iPhones in Q1 2025

May 5, 2025
Airtel-5G-router

I tested Airtel 5G router back in my village, and here’s what I found out

September 19, 2024
XAI-Grok

Trend of Grok users digitally undressing women on X sparks backlash

0
Telegram-Android-Kenya

Telegram rolls out encrypted group calls, business automation, and gift upgrades

0
Oppo-A5-Pro-in-Kenya

Here’s the global average selling price of Android phones vs iPhones in Q1 2025

0
Vivo-X200-Pro

Vivo is Android’s revenue champion in Q1 2025, Samsung and Xiaomi hold ground on shipments

0
XAI-Grok

Trend of Grok users digitally undressing women on X sparks backlash

May 5, 2025
Telegram-Android-Kenya

Telegram rolls out encrypted group calls, business automation, and gift upgrades

May 5, 2025
Oppo-A5-Pro-in-Kenya

Here’s the global average selling price of Android phones vs iPhones in Q1 2025

May 5, 2025
Vivo-X200-Pro

Vivo is Android’s revenue champion in Q1 2025, Samsung and Xiaomi hold ground on shipments

May 5, 2025
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact

© 2025 Android Kenya

No Result
View All Result

© 2025 Android Kenya