For years, Safaricom has been known as Kenya’s leading telecommunications company. But today, the company is rapidly evolving into something much bigger — a digital ecosystem shaping how Kenyans communicate, do biashara, save money, invest, and build financial security.
This week, Safaricom PLC announced one of the strongest financial performances in its history during the release of its Financial Year 2026 results, posting a record KSh100 billion net income as service revenue crossed the KSh400 billion mark in Kenya for the first time.
The impressive growth was driven by the continued expansion of M-PESA, increased mobile data usage, digital financial services, and Safaricom’s growing presence in Ethiopia. But beyond the numbers, the results reflected something deeper — the growing role digital technology now plays in the everyday lives of ordinary Kenyans.
Speaking during the FY2026 Results announcement, Safaricom CEO Peter Ndegwa said the company remains focused on innovation that directly improves lives and creates opportunities for millions across Africa.
M-PESA Still Powering Kenya’s Digital Economy
At the center of Safaricom’s growth story remains M-PESA, the mobile money platform that has transformed how Kenyans send, save, borrow, and spend money.
According to the company’s FY2026 results, M-PESA revenue grew by 13.4 percent year-on-year, contributing nearly half of Safaricom’s total service revenue. More than 46 billion transactions were processed through the platform over the past year.
The figures underline just how deeply mobile money has become embedded in daily Kenyan life — from paying school fees and electricity bills to biashara transactions in local markets.
Safaricom says over 17 billion transactions were processed at no cost to customers through free M-PESA services such as Kadogo transfers, helping wananchi save money amid tough economic times.
The company also reported strong growth in merchant payments, with more than 3.1 million businesses now using M-PESA platforms including Lipa Na M-PESA and Pochi la Biashara.
A New Generation of Kenyan Investors Emerging
One of the biggest highlights from Safaricom’s FY2026 report was the rapid adoption of investment and savings products among ordinary Kenyans.
Through Ziidi Money Market Fund (MMF) and Ziidi Trader, millions of first-time investors are now entering spaces that were once viewed as complicated or inaccessible.
Safaricom revealed that Ziidi MMF has already attracted over 2.2 million customers with assets under management surpassing KSh21 billion. The company also disclosed that more than 84,000 Kenyans are now actively trading shares on the Nairobi Securities Exchange directly from their mobile phones.
For many young people and small biashara owners, this represents a major shift from basic mobile transactions to long-term financial planning and wealth creation.
Industry analysts say the growth of mobile-based investing tools could significantly reshape financial inclusion in Kenya by giving more people access to savings and investment opportunities previously dominated by banks and wealthy investors.
Record Profits and Dividend Payout
Safaricom also rewarded shareholders with the highest dividend payout in its history.
The company announced a total dividend payout of KSh80.13 billion, equivalent to KSh2.00 per share — representing a 66.7 percent increase from the previous financial year.
The announcement sparked excitement among investors and stock market watchers, with many describing the results as a major turnaround for the telecommunications giant after years of heavy spending on its Ethiopia expansion.
Safaricom’s Ethiopia business also showed signs of improvement, with the company reporting reduced startup losses and continued customer growth across the neighboring market.
Beyond Technology: A Push for Inclusion and Sustainability
As Safaricom marks 25 years of operations, the company says its future strategy goes beyond profits and connectivity.
The firm highlighted ongoing investments in green energy and sustainability projects through its Green Bond initiatives aimed at supporting environmentally friendly infrastructure and digital expansion across Africa.
Safaricom says the next phase of its journey will focus on youth empowerment, digital access, innovation, and financial inclusion.
For millions of Kenyans, the company’s evolution reflects a broader transformation happening across the country — where mobile technology is no longer simply about communication, but about opportunity, empowerment, and economic survival in a rapidly changing digital world.
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