Safaricom Plc has reached a significant milestone, surpassing 50 million customers across all its platforms, cementing its position as Kenya’s leading mobile network provider. This achievement comes as the company prepares to mark its 25th anniversary in October, celebrating a quarter-century of transformative innovation, digital inclusion, and financial empowerment.
Safaricom Group CEO Peter Ndegwa attributed the milestone to a yearlong customer engagement campaign and the continued trust and loyalty of Kenyans. “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,” he said.
Founded in 2000 with just 17,000 customers, Safaricom has grown into a regional technology giant. The telco reported a net income of Sh69.8 billion for the year ending March 31, 2025, driven by double-digit growth in mobile money and broadband. Revenues hit Sh381.2 billion, up 11.4 percent from the previous year.
Key initiatives such as Sambaza Furaha and M-Pesa Sokoni have enhanced customer experiences, while innovations like M-Pesa have revolutionized digital finance. M-Pesa alone contributed Sh161 billion in service revenue, accounting for 44.2 percent of Safaricom Kenya’s total service revenue.
Safaricom’s Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) has also expanded rapidly, with 678,118 fixed internet customers, boosting its market share to 36.5 percent. The growing demand for home connectivity has positioned Safaricom as the go-to provider for high-speed internet in Kenya.
Beyond borders, Safaricom’s expansion into Ethiopia is bearing fruit, with 10 million 90-day active users and 10.8 million M-Pesa customers by December 2024. The company aims to ease digital transactions in Ethiopia, where M-Pesa addresses currency handling challenges and plans to roll out services like Fuliza.
Safaricom also plays a critical role in socio-economic development, contributing Sh722 billion to the Kenyan economy and supporting over 1.28 million jobs. Through the Safaricom and M-Pesa Foundations, over eight million Kenyans have benefitted from projects in health, education, and economic empowerment.
As it looks to the future, Safaricom is committed to achieving Net Zero carbon emissions by 2050 and becoming Africa’s leading purpose-driven tech company by 2030.
