Safaricom hits 50 million customers as it celebrates 25 years

By Newsflash Writer

Safaricom PLC has cemented its position as Kenya’s leading mobile network operator by crossing the 50 million customer mark across all its platforms.

The telco says this historic feat highlights the trust, loyalty, and enduring partnership it has shared with Kenyans for the past 25 years. The achievement comes ahead of Safaricom’s 25th anniversary celebrations scheduled for October.

Group CEO Peter Ndegwa attributed the milestone to a year-long customer engagement campaign that began last year, setting the stage for the company’s silver jubilee. “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 ramped up customer engagement through initiatives like Sambaza Furaha and M-Pesa Sokoni, bringing services, rewards, and joy directly to users nationwide. Starting in 2000 with just 17,000 subscribers, Safaricom’s growth mirrors Kenya’s digital transformation journey—one built on innovation, resilience, and impact.

Ethiopia expansion

Safaricom’s momentum isn’t confined to Kenya. The telco has made significant inroads in Ethiopia, where it surpassed 10 million customers as of July 2025. CEO Ndegwa says this growth underpins Safaricom’s ambition to become Africa’s leading purpose-driven technology company by 2030. “Our journey has always been about putting customers first. Looking ahead, our next chapter will be about deepening impact, personalising experiences, and accelerating Kenya’s digital transformation,” he noted.

Financially, the company remains robust. In the financial year ending March 31, 2025, Safaricom Kenya recorded a net income of Sh69.8 billion, with total revenues climbing to Sh381.2 billion—an 11.4 percent year-on-year increase.

key driver of this performance was M-Pesa, which accounted for Sh161 billion in service revenue—44.2 percent of the total in Kenya. The mobile money platform posted a 15.2 percent annual growth, pushing Safaricom’s total revenues past the Sh388 billion ($3 billion) mark for the first time.

Safaricom has also maintained its focus on infrastructure development, pioneering 3G, 4G, and 5G connectivity. Its Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) service continues to gain popularity, especially in urban areas. The Communications Authority (CA) reports that Safaricom’s fixed internet customer base grew to 678,118 in the most recent quarter, up from 621,149, boosting its market share to 36.5 percent—the highest in the country.

Driving economic impact and social progress

Beyond business, Safaricom remains a key contributor to Kenya’s economic and social development. In the last financial year, the company contributed Sh722 billion to the Kenyan economy and sustained over 1.28 million jobs. Additionally, more than eight million Kenyans benefited from community programs run by the Safaricom and M-Pesa Foundations, which focus on education, healthcare, and economic empowerment.

Safaricom is also making strides toward environmental sustainability. “As part of our commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals, we are improving energy efficiency in our operations to reduce carbon emissions and fuel use. We remain committed to becoming a Net Zero carbon-emitting company by 2050,” said Ndegwa.

In Ethiopia, Safaricom now serves 10 million active customers within just four years of acquiring its licence. The company describes this as a sign of rapid adoption of its mobile and digital services in the new market. “Behind each SIM card there is an individual, a family, a business and a future,” said Safaricom Ethiopia CEO Wim Vanhelleputte.

M-Pesa officially launched in Ethiopia on August 16, 2023—just seven months after Safaricom began its telecom operations there. By December 2024, the mobile money service had already attracted 10.8 million customers. M-Pesa’s expansion aims to solve digital payment challenges in Ethiopia, especially around the bulky Birr currency. The service is currently accessed mainly via USSD, though Safaricom is pushing for broader app adoption and plans to roll out services such as Fuliza, which offers short-term loans.

With consistent innovation, a growing regional footprint, and strong financial performance, Safaricom is not only celebrating a milestone—it is setting the stage for the next phase of digital inclusion and economic impact in Kenya and beyond.