Safaricom, Kenya’s leading telecommunications provider, is celebrating 25 years of operations in East Africa.
Source: UGC
The company’s resilience, innovation, and expansion strategies have led to surging revenues, customer growth, and continued success in both its home market of Kenya and its growing presence in Ethiopia.
“As we mark 25 years of transforming lives, Safaricom remains committed to innovation, inclusion, and sustainable impact. Financial year 2025/2026 kicked off our Africa ambition with our vision 2030 of being Africa’s leading purpose led tech organisation.
Despite a tough operating environment, we maintained a strong momentum, expanding our network in both markets, launching Fintech 2.0, our AI-powered financial services platform, and sustainably growing and deepening our presence in Ethiopia,” Safaricom CEO Peter Ndegwa said.
Safaricom records impressive financial performance
Safaricom’s financial performance for the first half of FY26 reflects robust growth across key areas.
“The board is pleased by the results of the first half of our financial year 2025/2026. These numbers reflect the management’s firmly executing the strategy as set out by the board. As we celebrate our 25 years of existence, it is gratifying that we are firmly rooted in our purpose of transforming lives, with the customers being at the heart of our business,” Safaricom Board Chairman, Adil Arshed Khawaja, said.
Source: UGC
The company reported a 9.3% year-on-year increase in total service revenue, reaching KSh 199.87 billion, which was largely driven by the solid contributions of M-Pesa and mobile data services.
M-Pesa revenue surged 14.0%, to 88.06 billion. The platform’s growth was propelled by a 26.5% increase in transaction volumes, highlighting its dominance in the financial space.
Mobile Data saw a healthy 13.4% increase, reaching KSh 40.32 billion, while the connectivity services grew by 5.3%, bolstered by Safaricom’s ongoing expansion of its 4G network and customer base.
Notably, Safaricom’s earnings before interest and taxes also rose by 13.1%, reaching KSh 89.53 billion, while its income after tax saw a 22.6% increase, climbing to KSh 58.24 billion.
Safaricom’s success in Ethiopia
The company’s expansion into one of Africa’s most promising telecommunications markets, Ethiopia, has also been a resounding success.
In the six months ending on September 30, 2025, Safaricom Telecommunications Ethiopia’s (STE) service revenue increased by a staggering 136.0%, reaching KSh 6.19 billion.
“During this period, our progress was enabled by strong partnerships and enabling policies that encouraged innovation and investment in both mobile financial services and connectivity businesses. Safaricom Ethiopia’s progress reflects the confidence of a region that is steadily regaining economic momentum,” Khawaja said.
The rapid growth has been attributed to the launch of new mobile services and a solid customer acquisition strategy, particularly in mobile data and voice services.
STE’s customer base has been expanding rapidly, with a 19.7% increase in three-month active users, reaching 62.27 million.
Moreover, its M-Pesa service in Ethiopia, although facing challenges, is showing promising signs of growth as the company continues to build its financial services presence in the country.
Safaricom celebrates 25-year milestone
Safaricom was established in 2000, and since then, the company has transformed from a simple mobile voice provider to a comprehensive technology and mobile financial services ecosystem, connecting over 60 million customers across Kenya and Ethiopia.
The growth journey has been underpinned by innovations like M-Pesa, which has revolutionised mobile money and been a leader in financial inclusion.
M-Pesa’s evolution has been a significant driver of this commitment, with millions of Kenyans and Ethiopians now using it for everything from sending money across borders to saving, borrowing, and paying for goods and services.
The introduction of M-Pesa Global, which allows users to send and receive money internationally, marked another step in Safaricom’s ambition to connect Africa to the global economy.
Safaricom’s community empowerment
The company has also been at the forefront of community empowerment, supporting countless community development initiatives over the years through the Safaricom Foundation and the M-Pesa Foundation.
Throughout its 25 years, Safaricom has maintained a strong focus on social impact, and in the past year alone, the foundation has impacted over one million lives, supporting initiatives in health, education, water access, and economic empowerment.
This commitment is seen at work through programs like Ndoto Zetu, which modernises schools, and Wezesha Mama, which empowers women with training and digital tools.
” We are encouraged by the commercial momentum we have witnessed and remain steadfast in our commitment to robust governance and internal control frameworks, ensuring effective risk management and sustained operational resilience,” Ndegwa added.
As Safaricom celebrates its 25th anniversary, it is clear that the company is well-positioned for the future with the ongoing expansion of its 4G and 5G networks, as well as its strategic push into digital financial services across Africa.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
