Telco giant Safaricom has surpassed 50 million mobile subscribers in Kenya, marking a major customer growth milestone ahead of its 25th anniversary in October 2025.
The company began operations in 2000 with just 17,000 users and has since grown into East Africa’s largest telecommunications provider.
The subscriber update comes as the company prepares to mark two and a half decades at the center of Kenya’s digital evolution.
Its current market share stands at 63.3%, based on Q1 2025 data, even as competition intensifies across voice, data, and mobile money services.
Mobile subscriptions across Kenya reached 76.16 million by March 2025, up from 71.38 million the previous quarter.
Safaricom added 1.7 million mobile users in the last financial year, along with 56,000 new fixed internet customers.
The company attributes its customer growth to a series of engagement-focused campaigns, such as Sambaza Furaha and M-PESA Sokoni, designed to increase platform stickiness and reward usage.
Its M-PESA mobile money platform, launched in 2007, remains a key revenue driver and a foundational part of its financial services ecosystem.
Safaricom’s subscriber base is not limited to Kenya.
In Ethiopia, where it launched operations in 2022, the company has already crossed the 10 million customer mark as of July 2025, following rapid network rollout and onboarding efforts.
Group CEO Peter Ndegwa described the 50 million milestone as a reflection of the trust built over the past two decades. “Our next chapter is about personalisation, scale, and contributing to Kenya’s broader digital shift,” he said.
In the last financial year, Safaricom contributed Ksh 722 billion to the national economy and supported more than 1.28 million jobs.
Through its philanthropic arms, the Safaricom and M-PESA Foundations, more than 8 million Kenyans have accessed programs in healthcare, education, and entrepreneurship.
While Safaricom remains the market leader, its dominance in mobile money is narrowing.
M-PESA’s market share in mobile money subscriptions declined to 90.8% in Q1 2025, marking six consecutive quarters of contraction.
Airtel Money, by contrast, has posted steady gains, reaching a new high of 9.1% in the same period.
With mobile usage still growing across the region and demand for data-driven services rising, Safaricom is positioning itself for its next phase, not just as a telecom provider, but as a platform business with regional ambitions.
