Safaricom Plc has exerted its command as the biggest mobile network in the country, surpassing 50 million customers across all platforms.
The company says the milestone highlights the trust, loyalty and partnership of Kenyans over the last two and a half decades, even as the company plans to celebrate its silver jubilee in October.
Safaricom Group CEO Peter Ndegwa has attributed the success to a yearlong customer engagement drive which started last year and will culminate in its 25th anniversary celebrations, marking a quarter century of innovating around customer needs, transforming lives and building inclusive digital and financial ecosystems across Kenya.
“We are honoured by the trust that over 50 million Kenyans have placed in us. This milestone reflects the deep connection we have built with Kenyans over the past two and a half decades,’’ Ndegwa said.
Over the past year, Safaricom has accelerated its focus on customer engagement and experience, through initiatives such as Sambaza Furaha and M-Pesa Sokoni, which have taken services, rewards and joy directly to customers across the country.
From just 17,000 customers when it began in 2000 to now serving over 50 million, Safaricom’s journey is deeply intertwined with the story of modern Kenya, one of innovation, resilience and progress.
The telco reported Sh69.8 billion in net income for the full-year ending March 31, 2025, as it registered double-digit growth in both mobile money and broadband.
The Kenyan unit delivered a strong performance with total revenues hitting Sh381.2 billion, up 11.4 per cent compared to last year.
Beyond Kenya, Safaricom has successfully expanded its operations to Ethiopia, where it has also recently achieved a significant milestone, surpassing 10 million customers as of July 2025.
This rapid growth in a new market underscores Safaricom’s vision to become Africa’s leading purpose-led technology company by 2030.
“Our journey has always been about putting customers first, and this achievement is a direct reflection of that dedication. Looking ahead, our next chapter will be about deepening impact, personalising customer experiences, and driving Kenya’s digital transformation agenda,” Ndegwa said.
Since it began operations, Safaricom has pioneered transformative innovations such as M-Pesa, which has evolved into a comprehensive digital financial ecosystem.
The mobile money transfer platform generated Sh161 billion of Safaricom Kenya’s service revenue in the end-of-year financial results, representing a 44.2 per cent contribution to the service in Kenya alone.
The platform’s 15.2 per cent year-on-year growth was crucial in propelling the company’s total revenue past the $3 billion (Sh388 billion) mark, a first in the region.
The company has also invested heavily in connectivity by pioneering 3G, 4G and 5G networks as well as availing high-speed internet to homes and businesses.
The latest data from the Communications Authority shows that the telco has tightened its grip on the fixed internet market in Kenya, pulling further ahead of its competitors as more Kenyans turn to the telco for home internet.
According to CA, Safaricom now boasts of 678,118 fixed internet customers, an increase from 621,149 in the last quarter.
That growth has pushed the telco’s market share up to 36.5 per cent, strengthening its position as the country’s undisputed leader in the provision of home internet services.
This rise is being driven by the growing popularity of Safaricom’s Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) service, which has become the go-to solution for urban households and small businesses looking for seamless, high-speed connectivity.
With homes increasingly relying on the internet for work, school, streaming and business, Safaricom has placed itself as the most trusted and widely available option in Kenya.
Beyond connectivity and financial services, Safaricom continues to play a critical role in Kenya’s economic and social development. In the last financial year, the company contributed Sh722 billion to the Kenyan economy, sustaining over 1.28 million jobs.
Additionally, more than eight million Kenyans have benefitted from community projects delivered through the Safaricom and M-Pesa Foundations, which continue to drive access to education, healthcare, and economic empowerment opportunities.
"As part of our ongoing commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals, we continue to work towards improving energy and resource efficiency in our network and facilities to reduce carbon emissions and our fuel consumption. We remain committed to becoming a Net Zero carbon-emitting company by 2050,'' Ndegwa said.
Early this month, Safaricom announced that it now serves 10 million 90-day active customers in Ethiopia, a major milestone achieved within four years of acquiring its operational license.
It said the development signals the rapid adoption of its mobile and digital services across the country, highlighting the firm’s strong market presence in Ethiopia.
The company views this milestone as a sign of growing consumer trust and a step toward its broader vision of supporting Ethiopia’s digital transformation through inclusive and high-quality connectivity.
“Behind each SIM card there is an individual, a family, a business and a future,” said Wim Vanhelleputte, Chief Executive Officer of Safaricom Ethiopia
M-Pesa, Kenya’s leading mobile money platform, was officially launched in Ethiopia on August 16, 2023. This move came seven months after Safaricom Ethiopia began offering telecommunication services.
By December 2024, M-Pesa had already attracted 10.8 million customers. The platform aims to solve digital payment challenges in Ethiopia, particularly addressing issues related to the bulky Ethiopian Birr currency.
Its focus on Ethiopia is to make financial transactions easier and more efficient. The majority of users access the service through USSD, though there is a growing push to encourage app-based usage. Plans include introducing services like Fuliza, which offers short-term loans.
