Mounting financial pressure and delayed salaries are pushing a growing share of Kenyan workers to rely on short-term digital loans to get through the month.

Data from Unifi Kenya shows that over 25,000 of its Kenyan clients regularly turn to salary advances, part of a wider trend in a market now dominated by more than 200 licensed digital lenders under the Central Bank of Kenya.

Industry estimates indicate that over half of salaried employees have at some point depended on advance credit to cover basic expenses.

The lender says demand has risen sharply in recent months, driven by delayed wage disbursements, reduced disposable income, and the rising cost of essentials. Most borrowers, it notes, are seeking small, short-term top-ups for urgent needs such as school fees, rent, and medical bills.

Speaking in Mombasa during the launch of its 10th branch, company officials said the expansion reflects growing trust in lenders offering fast, unsecured loans without collateral.

The firm, which operates over 70 branches across Africa, is betting on a hybrid model that combines mobile lending with physical walk-in support.

County leaders say the surge in salary advances points to deeper economic strain, with many households increasingly using credit not as a backup—but as a monthly survival tool.