More Kenyans are accessing affordable digital and financial services as Safaricom PLC expands its connectivity infrastructure and mobile money offerings, with the company’s wider business ecosystem sustaining more than 1.4 million jobs in the 2025/2026 financial year.
The telecommunications firm’s 15th Sustainable Business Report estimates that its operations, investments and services generated Sh1.25 trillion in value for Kenyan society, representing a 10 per cent increase from the previous financial year.
Safaricom Group Chief Executive Officer Peter Ndegwa said the company’s impact was reflected in the affordability of its services, particularly through M-PESA, where 57.8 per cent of transaction volumes attracted no customer charges during the year.
“Our impact is measured not only by what we earn, but by the value we create for society. More than half of M-PESA transaction volumes attracted no customer charge, helping millions of Kenyans transact affordably and participate in an increasingly digital economy,” said Ndegwa.
The report estimates that M-PESA generated Sh478.1 billion in social value during the year, as the platform continued to facilitate payments, savings, investments and access to credit.
The company also expanded its fixed data services, connecting 739,000 homes during the financial year, including 8,200 households through an affordable Sh800 monthly internet bundle aimed at widening access to connectivity.
Ndegwa said the company’s transformation into a technology firm would be guided by the need to ensure that more Kenyans benefit from digital services.
“As we grow into a technology company, we want every Kenyan to have the opportunity to participate in the digital economy. That means reliable connectivity, affordable access and the skills to use technology to improve their lives,” he said.
Beyond its commercial operations, Safaricom and M-PESA Foundation programmes reached 4.4 million people through initiatives targeting healthcare, education, economic empowerment, water access and environmental conservation.
The report also highlights the company’s efforts to improve environmental sustainability, particularly in powering its telecommunications infrastructure.
More than 2,000 network sites were running on solar energy by the end of the financial year, up from 1,432 in the previous year, as the company continued to reduce reliance on conventional energy sources.
Its tree-growing programme also reached three million trees, contributing to its environmental conservation efforts.
On workplace inclusion, persons with disabilities accounted for four per cent of Safaricom’s workforce, against a target of five per cent.
The company said it was also strengthening its sustainability reporting framework to improve accountability and prepare for emerging regulatory requirements.
For the first time, Safaricom adopted a double materiality approach in its sustainability disclosures, assessing both the impact of its operations on people and the environment and how sustainability issues could affect its long-term business performance.
The assessment considers risks such as climate change, fraud and cybersecurity, which are increasingly important as the company expands its digital services.
Safaricom is preparing to comply fully with applicable International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) sustainability disclosure requirements by the 2027/2028 financial year.
Ndegwa said the company’s sustainability commitments would remain central to its growth strategy as technology continued to shape economic and social development.
“Our commitment is to create lasting value for our customers, communities, investors and the planet. As technology becomes more central to people’s lives, we have a responsibility to ensure that growth and innovation create opportunity, strengthen trust and leave society better off,” he said.
