Safaricom celebrates 24 years of connecting and transforming Kenyans' lives

Over the last two decades, Safaricom has evolved from a telecommunications provider to a key player in the technological, economic, and social transformation of Kenya. Safaricom has grown exponentially, positioning itself as a pillar of innovation, empowerment, and progress in the country.

From its humble beginnings as a mobile network operator, the company has expanded its portfolio to include revolutionary services such as Mpesa, its mobile money platform, and other digital solutions that have changed how Kenyans live, work, and do business.

Mpesa is arguably the world’s first and largest mobile money transfer and payment system and Africa’s largest Fintech. By empowering over 28 million customers to transact, save or borrow money through their mobile phones, Mpesa has driven financial inclusion in Kenya to more than 82% of the adult population from a low of 25% and generated over Sh82.65 billion ($826 million) in revenue as at financial year 2021.

Safaricom has also played a crucial role in enhancing network connectivity, evolving from its initial 2G services to the current 5G network, which offers unparalleled internet speeds and capabilities. This progression has enabled Kenya to embrace emerging technologies, positioning the country at the forefront of the global digital economy.

Beyond its business achievements, Safaricom has also made a significant impact on the lives of Kenyans through its sports assets and corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives. The Safaricom Foundation has invested billions of shillings in health, education, economic empowerment, and environmental conservation projects, all aimed at uplifting communities across Kenya. These initiatives reflect the company’s commitment to driving positive societal change and making a lasting impact on the lives of Kenyans.

“Our purpose is to transform lives by connecting people to people, people to opportunities, and people to information. We keep over 41 million customers connected and play a critical role in society, supporting over one million jobs both directly and indirectly, while our total economic value was estimated at Sh362 Billion ($ 3.2 billion) for the 12 months through March 2021,” said Ndegwa.

In celebration of its 24th anniversary, Safaricom will also embark on a yearlong series of activities aimed at engaging its diverse stakeholders, including customers, investors, communities, partners, employees, and the media. The company will also work closely with regulators and government bodies to advance the industry and foster stronger relationships.

As part of its ongoing commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Safaricom continues to work towards improving energy and resource efficiency in its network and facilities to reduce carbon emissions and fuel consumption.

“We remain committed to becoming a Net Zero carbon-emitting company by 2050,” he said.

About Safaricom

Safaricom is the leading telecommunication company in East Africa. Our purpose is to transform lives by connecting people to people, people to opportunities, and people to information. We keep over 45.9 million customers connected and play a critical role in society, supporting over 1.1 million jobs both directly and indirectly while our total economic value was estimated at KES 542 billion ($ 4.2 billion) for the 12 months through March 2023.

Listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange and with annual revenues of close to KES 335.4 billion as of March 2024. Safaricom provides connectivity through a wide range of technology, 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G in aggregate covering over 99% of Kenya’s population.

We run the world’s largest mobile payment system and Africa’s largest Fintech, M-PESA, the world’s first mobile money transfer system. By empowering over 32.1 million customers to transact, save, or borrow money through their mobile phones, M-PESA has driven financial inclusion in Kenya to 83.7% in 2021 of the adult population from a low of 26.7% in 2006 and generated over KES 139.9 Billion in revenue as at FY24.

Our subsidiary, Safaricom Telecommunications Ethiopia, has deployed a world-class network and services to contribute to Ethiopia’s digital transformation.

Safaricom is an equal opportunity employer, actively recruiting staff from different backgrounds reflecting the communities that we serve. We are committed to equal gender representation at all levels. Our target is to achieve 50:50 senior management gender parity by 2025.

As part of our ongoing commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), we continue to work towards improving energy and resource efficiency in our network and facilities to reduce carbon emissions and fuel consumption. We remain committed to becoming a Net Zero carbon-emitting company by 2050.