Safaricom’s Fintech 2.0 and 5G Expansion Drive Strong HY26 Results Across Kenya and Ethiopia

Safaricom PLC  has announced strong unaudited results for the first half of its 2025/2026 financial year, reflecting robust growth in both Kenya and Ethiopia as the company celebrates 25 years of transforming lives.

The Group posted KShs 199.9 billion in service revenue, up 11.1% year-on-year, driven by solid performance in M-PESA and mobile data. Earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) grew 54.5% to KShs 65.2 billion, while net income surged 52.1% to KShs 42.8 billion, showing continued momentum despite a challenging economic environment.

M-PESA, Connectivity and Fintech 2.0 Lead Growth

M-PESA continued to power Safaricom’s performance, contributing 45.4% of service revenue and rising 14% to KShs 88.06 billion, backed by strong transaction volumes and merchant growth.

The company launched Fintech 2.0, an AI-powered upgrade of its M-PESA platform that doubles capacity from 6,000 to 12,000 transactions per second. Safaricom said the platform offers “reliability, security, and scalability” across its financial services ecosystem.

Connectivity remained equally strong, contributing 49.6% of total service revenue, with mobile data up 13.4% to KShs 40.32 billion, driven by 4G and 5G expansion. Fixed internet and IoT services also grew 9.5% to KShs 9.8 billion.

Ethiopia’s Rapid Growth Continues

Safaricom Ethiopia more than doubled its service revenue to KShs 6.19 billion, with mobile data accounting for 66.7% of the total. The company’s customer base rose sharply, with three-month active users up 83.7% to 11.2 million and one-month active users up 90% to 8.51 million.

Network coverage reached 55% of Ethiopia’s population, supported by over 3,300 sites and a workforce that is 97% Ethiopian nationals.

Community and Social Impact

The telco marked its silver jubilee by deepening community investments through the Safaricom and M-PESA Foundations, impacting nearly one million lives through initiatives in education, health, and economic empowerment.

Flagship programmes such as Chapa Dimba, B-Live, and Ofa Ya Boda Boda continued to empower young people, creators, and transport workers. Safaricom also unveiled the “Citizens of the Future” initiative under the M-PESA Foundation, encouraging Kenyans to nominate schools for renovation and digital learning support.

Major Tax Contributor

Safaricom remitted KShs 90.51 billion in taxes, duties, and license fees to the Government of Kenya during the first half of the year, bringing its total contribution since inception to KShs 1.57 trillion — reaffirming its role as one of the country’s most significant corporate taxpayers.

“The board is pleased by the results of the first half of our financial year 2025/2026. These numbers reflect the management’s firmly executing the strategy as set out by the board. As we celebrate our 25 years of existence, it is gratifying that we are firmly rooted in our purpose of transforming lives, with the customers being at the heart of our business. During this period, our progress was enabled by strong partnerships and enabling policies that encouraged innovation and investment in both mobile financial services and connectivity businesses. Safaricom Ethiopia’s progress reflects the confidence of a region that is steadily regaining economic momentum. Kenya’s resilience, especially in the MSME sector, is enabling our businesses to expand connectivity, empower entrepreneurs, and support inclusive growth across the region. Our role is to translate this progress into shared prosperity by deepening access to digital and financial tools that transform everyday lives.”

-Adil Arshed Khawaja (MGH), Chairman of the Board, Safaricom PLC

“As we mark 25 years of transforming lives, Safaricom remains committed to innovation, inclusion, and sustainable impact. Financial year 2025/2026 kicked off our Africa ambition with our Vision 2030 of being Africa’s leading purpose-led tech organization. Despite a tough operating environment, we maintained strong momentum, expanding our network in both markets, launching Fintech 2.0 — our AI-powered financial services platform — and sustainably growing and deepening our presence in Ethiopia. These milestones reflect our focus on scalable tech solutions and our dedication to meeting the evolving needs of our customers across the region. We are encouraged by the commercial momentum we have witnessed and remain steadfast in our commitment to robust governance and internal control frameworks, ensuring effective risk management and sustained operational resilience.”

-Dr. Peter Ndegwa (CBS), Group Chief Executive Officer, Safaricom PLC

Safaricom’s Board said the company will continue scaling its fintech and connectivity solutions, strengthening partnerships, and expanding across Africa. The telco’s strategic vision — to become Africa’s leading purpose-led technology company by 2030 — remains its guiding ambition for the next decade.

As Dr. Ndegwa put it, Safaricom’s journey “is about shaping Africa’s digital future through innovation, purpose, and impact.”