Safaricom Wins CIPS Africa Award for Best Use of Digital Technology in Procurement

The award celebrates the innovative use of digital tools to enhance procurement operations, efficiency, or decision-making.

PLC has been named Winner of the Best Use of Digital Technology at the prestigious Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS) Africa Excellence in Procurement and Supply Awards 2025.

This Awards programme is hosted by the CIPS, the awarding body for the profession that sets the Global Standard for Procurement and Supply.

The award is in recognition of Safaricom’s Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered Supply Market Analysis initiative. The solution provides real-time insights into market definitions, supplier landscapes, cost structures, competition, trends, and commodity risks, among other insights. It has drastically improved sourcing decisions, cutting market analysis time from nearly a month to just 10 minutes, while enhancing cost insights and accelerating tender cycles.

The innovation is part of a broader suite of digital solutions currently being scaled across the organisation to enhance procurement efficiency and agility.

“This award brings us closer to our vision of becoming Africa’s leading purpose-led technology company by 2030. By using AI to improve how we work, we are making our operations faster, smarter and more innovative.”

– Dr. Peter Ndegwa, CEO, Safaricom PLC

Safaricom was shortlisted alongside Rohloff Group recognised for its Energy Management initiative, as well as World Vision East African Region, celebrated for its Contract Life Cycle Management (CLM) project.

The CIPS Africa Excellence in Procurement and Supply Awards celebrate organisations that are leading change and driving value in the procurement and supply profession. Safaricom’s success demonstrates how cutting-edge digital tools can empower decision-making, improve efficiency, and set new benchmarks for the industry.