Safaricom has kicked off FY2025/2026 with impressive momentum, posting strong half-year results that highlight its dual engine of growth: M-PESA and Ethiopia. As it celebrates 25 years, the company continues to define what sustainable scale looks like in African fintech.
Service revenue surged 11.1% year-over-year (YoY) to KSh 199.9 billion, while net income soared 52.1% to KSh 42.8 billion. It’s the clearest signal yet that Safaricom is accelerating toward its Vision 2030 goal: becoming Africa’s leading purpose-led tech company.
Key Financial Highlights
Safaricom’s results show strength across every segment:
| Metric | H1 FY2025/2026 Value | YoY Growth | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service Revenue | KSh 199.9 billion | +11.1% | Core performance driver |
| Net Income | KSh 42.8 billion | +52.1% | Attributable to equity holders |
| EBIT | KSh 65.2 billion | +54.5% | Operational efficiency gains |
| M-PESA Revenue | KSh 88.06 billion | +14.0% | 45.4% of total service revenue; KSh 20.21T in transaction value |
| Mobile Data | KSh 40.32 billion | +13.4% | Rising smartphone uptake and 5G rollout |
| Fixed & IoT | KSh 9.8 billion | +9.5% | Enterprise and smart device growth |
Safaricom’s tax footprint also stands tall: KSh 90.51 billion remitted in H1 alone, bringing cumulative contributions since inception to KSh 1.57 trillion, cementing its role as Kenya’s fiscal cornerstone.
M-PESA: The Fintech Titan Evolves with AI
M-PESA, launched in 2007, remains Safaricom’s heartbeat, now contributing nearly half of total service revenue. But it’s not taking it easy.
The rollout of “Fintech 2.0” has introduced AI-driven fraud detection, predictive analytics, and a doubled transaction throughput (from 6,000 to 12,000 transactions per second).
Transaction volumes rose 26.5% YoY, highlighting M-PESA’s dominance in everyday payments, cross-border remittances, and merchant transactions.
These upgrades make M-PESA not just a payments app but a full-spectrum financial platform integrating savings, lending, and insurance, which are key pillars of Safaricom’s fintech expansion.
READ ALSO:How Safaricom Is Expanding From M-Pesa Into New Fintech Plays
Ethiopia: From Challenger to Growth Engine
Safaricom’s bold 2022 entry into Ethiopia is paying off faster than expected. The unit’s service revenue jumped 136% YoY to KSh 6.19 billion, powered by 11.2 million active users (up 83.7%).
Coverage now spans 55% of Ethiopia’s population through 3,306 2G/3G/4G base stations, signalling massive progress in a market once considered untapped.
Though challenges like competition and regulatory complexities persist, narrowing losses and soaring brand affinity suggest that Safaricom Ethiopia is transitioning from startup mode to a sustainable growth engine.
“This momentum reflects sustainable scaling through local partnerships and a focus on financial inclusion,”
—Dr. Peter Ndegwa, CEO, Safaricom PLC.
Purpose-Led Impact: More Than Profit
Safaricom’s “Transforming Lives” mantra remains central to its mission. Through the Safaricom and M-PESA Foundations, over one million Kenyans benefited in H1 alone.
Key initiatives include:
- Uzazi Salama: improving maternal and neonatal health outcomes.
- Citizens of the Future: upgrading digital learning and AI readiness in schools.
- Wezesha and Chapa Dimba: empowering youth through entrepreneurship, sports, and financial literacy.
These programmes are more than CSR; they’re part of Safaricom’s shared value ecosystem, proving that purpose and profit can grow hand in hand.
Leadership Insights
Chairman Adil Arshed Khawaja captured the sentiment best:
“These results reflect disciplined execution rooted in purpose, with customers at the heart of everything we do.”
Looking Ahead: Guidance Intact, Ambitions Rising
Safaricom has reaffirmed its full-year FY2026 guidance, with continued focus on:
- Deepening fintech integrations (M-PESA and beyond).
- Expanding 5G and IoT ecosystems.
- Accelerating regional scale across Africa.
After 25 years, Safaricom’s evolution from a telecom provider to a tech ecosystem builder is undeniable. With M-PESA as its heartbeat and Ethiopia as its frontier, the next decade looks primed for even greater impact.
Because for Safaricom, success isn’t just counted in billions; it’s measured in lives transformed.
Safaricom Financial Statements & Annual Report 2025
Safaricom PLC has released its financial statements and results for 2025, detailing strong growth driven by mobile data, M-PESA, and fintech expansion across Kenya and Ethiopia.
The Safaricom Annual Report 2025 (PDF) provides insights into revenue performance, profit margins, and sustainability initiatives.
Safaricom’s financial year begins in April and ends in March of the following year. Investors can access updates, reports, and disclosures via the Safaricom Investor Relations portal, where the latest annual report and financial results are published for download.
Ronnie Paul is a seasoned writer and analyst with a prolific portfolio of over 1,000 published articles, specialising in fintech, cryptocurrency, climate change, and digital finance at Africa Digest News.
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