Safaricom shareholders have approved the largest dividend in the company’s history.
This Safaricom dividend 2026 AGM decision came during the company’s 18th Annual General Meeting on July 31. Shareholders signed off on a final dividend of KES 1.15 per share for the financial year ended March 31, 2026.
Combined with the interim dividend of KES 0.85 per share paid back in March, the total payout for the year reaches KES 2.00 per share.
That brings the overall distribution to KES 80.13 billion, roughly $620 million.
It stands as the largest annual payout Safaricom has ever delivered to shareholders.
Why This Is a Safaricom Record Dividend Kenya Milestone
This Safaricom record dividend Kenya achievement did not happen overnight.
For three consecutive years, Safaricom kept its dividend flat. During that stretch, the company absorbed significant costs setting up its Ethiopian operations
It also managed the financial impact of the Ethiopian birr’s depreciation, which followed foreign exchange reforms introduced by the Ethiopian government in 2024.
Group CEO Dr. Peter Ndegwa described this jump as the end of that holding pattern.
He said Safaricom’s Ethiopian business is now on track to break even during the current financial year.
That progress, combined with strong domestic performance, gave the board confidence to raise the payout meaningfully rather than holding steady again.
The Safaricom Share Price Market Cap 2026 Story
Safaricom share price market cap 2026 figures paint a striking picture of investor confidence
The stock closed the financial year up 50.3 percent. That surge pushed Safaricom’s market value to KES 1.10 trillion by March 31, 2026.
The company’s value has continued climbing since then, touching approximately KES 1.44 trillion, or roughly $11.1 billion, in the weeks leading up to the AGM.
Zooming out further reveals just how significant this payout is in context.
Over the past five years, Safaricom shareholders have collected approximately KES 280 billion in cumulative dividends
The company has said it intends to sustain that kind of shareholder return trajectory as it moves further into its long-term strategic plan.
Marking Safaricom 25th Anniversary Kenya Milestones
This record payout coincides directly with Safaricom 25th anniversary Kenya celebrations.
Dr. Ndegwa called it a defining year for the company, marking twenty-five years of connecting people and driving transformation through its services and community involvement.
He noted that the company achieved this milestone while simultaneously delivering its strongest financial performance to date.
That combination of anniversary and record results gives this AGM particular symbolic weight.
Safaricom has evolved considerably over its history, growing from a traditional telecommunications operator into what the company now describes as a broader technology and digital services provider, serving customers across both Kenya and Ethiopia.
What Comes Next for Shareholders
Shareholders on the Register of Members as of close of business on August 4, 2026 will qualify for the final dividend.
The payment itself is expected to be made on or about September 4, 2026.
For investors who have held Safaricom shares through the flat-dividend years, this payout represents a meaningful return on that patience.
The AGM also confirmed a notable ownership development. Vodacom Group increased its shareholding as part of its broader consolidation of Safaricom, a transaction that closed around the same period as this dividend announcement
That ownership shift adds further context to Safaricom’s current momentum, tying its record financial performance directly to a significant change in its shareholder structure.
Looking Toward Vision 2030
Safaricom is now in the first year of executing its Vision 2030 strategy
The company has laid out several priorities under that plan. These include simplifying and personalising customer experience, deploying artificial intelligence to improve service delivery, and expanding high-speed broadband alongside existing 4G and 5G coverage.
Getting affordable smartphones into the hands of more Kenyans also features prominently in that strategy, alongside continued growth of M-PESA and the company’s broader financial services business.
Chief Financial and Innovation Officer Dilip Pal outlined the company’s innovation agenda and long-term value creation strategy during the AGM, framing this record dividend as an early marker of what Vision 2030 execution could deliver for shareholders going forward.
For now, this record payout offers a clear signal. Safaricom’s leadership believes the company’s financial foundation, strengthened by improving Ethiopian performance and sustained domestic growth, is solid enough to support a new, higher baseline for shareholder returns.
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