Safaricom posts an impressive Ksh. 29.1B half year net profit

Safaricom PLC has today announced that it has posted a net profit of Ksh. 29.1 billion for the half year period period ending 30th September 2025. This is a significant improvement from the Ksh. 10 billion that the company posted in a similar period in 2024.

The strong financial performance, unveiled by Group CEO Dr. Peter Ndegwa (CBS), coincides with the company’s 25th anniversary. It  confirms the execution of its Vision 2030 strategy, powered by innovation in AI, the launch of Fintech 2.0, and sustained expansion in the Ethiopian market.

Dr. Ndegwa highlighted the significance of the company’s Silver Jubilee, celebrating the dramatic growth from 17,000 subscribers in 2000 to over 50 million customers in Kenya and 10 million in Ethiopia today.

To commemorate this milestone, Safaricom launched three major initiatives:

• Shangwe @25: A massive consumer promotion that will make 25 customers millionaires, alongside awarding over five million people across its ecosystem of customers, agents, dealers, and merchants.
• Green Box Initiative: Focused on spreading festive cheer and community engagement with surprises like devices, chicken, and goats.
• Citizens of the Future: A long-term program aimed at transforming education in Kenya, inviting customers to co-create the vision by nominating schools for upgrades.

“These celebrations go beyond prizes,” stated Dr. Ndegwa, “they energize our ecosystem and reaffirm our promise to remain Kenya’s trusted tech company.”

Central to Safaricom’s strategy is its foundation in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its newly launched Fintech 2.0 platform.

• The company is using AI for seamless customer service via chatbots, smart pricing, network efficiency, and, most critically, fraud detection and prevention. AI models have already resulted in a reduction of fraud incidents, ensuring “worry-free, safe, and secure digital financial services.”
• This cloud-native platform is the future of M-PESA, built for increased speed, security, and resilience. It has introduced features like shared wallets, split payments, and Tap-to-Pay, while embedding AI for stronger fraud detection and real-time monitoring.

Kenya Business Growth

• Service Revenue reached 194 billion (up 9.3%).
• Net Income grew 22.6% to 58.2 billion.
• The strategy of providing tailored offers, such as B-Live for youth and specific propositions for MSMEs and transport workers, is yielding results.
• 4G+ device adoption continues to climb, with over 25.7 million customers now using 4G devices.

Ethiopia: Navigating Headwinds with Commercial Momentum

Safaricom Ethiopia sustained commercial progress despite currency depreciation headwinds and a challenging regulatory environment.

• Reduced Losses: Ethiopia’s net losses reduced by 20.1% year-on-year to 15.5 billion shillings, despite the Birr depreciation contributing 35% to the net loss.
• Customer Milestone: The business achieved the significant milestone of surpassing 10 million three-month active customers just 2.5 years after commercial launch.
• Network Expansion: The company has rapidly deployed nearly 3,300 sites, reaching half the network size of Kenya at an unprecedented speed.

Dr. Ndegwa acknowledged the challenges, including delayed price repair and the impact of currency reforms on foreign currency obligations. He confirmed the company is actively engaging stakeholders to fix structural and regulatory gaps to ensure a sustainable industry. True to its purpose, Safaricom has also established its Foundation in Ethiopia to support local communities, even before achieving profitability.

Group Performance Highlights

The most striking change for the Group is the massive growth in profit, rebounding significantly from the heavy losses associated with the initial Ethiopian market entry in the prior period.

Company (Kenya Business) Performance Highlights

The Company results, primarily reflecting the Kenyan operations, show a consistent, strong growth trajectory.