18 years of life-changing innovations

Richard Malcom, Western Union's Vice-President for Southern, East and Anglophone West AfricaM and Safaricom Limited Chief Customer Officer Sylvia Mulinge during the launch of M-PESA Global at Michael Joseph Centre in Nairobi on November 6, 2018. PHOTO | SALATON NJAU | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Over the years, Safaricom has touched and transformed people’s lives in different and significant ways through voice, data, financial services, enterprise solutions and more.

  • Today at only 18, Safaricom stands shoulder to shoulder with age-old corporate giants, serving millions of individuals, hundreds of small businesses, and the government.

Safaricom is arguably one of Kenya’s most creative companies

When what would become Kenya’s biggest telco company was formed 18 years ago, no one had any idea it would change the lives of Kenyans in as many ways as it has today.

Safaricom is arguably one of Kenya’s most innovative companies, and its growth has involved a variety of strategies, including acquisitions.

ACQUISITIONS

In 2008, Safaricom purchased majority stake in One Communications Ltd to gain access to data services. The company has made several other small acquisitions to enhance its services and market share.

Over the years, Safaricom has touched and transformed people’s lives in different and significant ways through voice, data, financial services, enterprise solutions and more.

The impact it has had on subscribers is massive. Today at only 18, Safaricom stands shoulder to shoulder with age-old corporate giants, serving millions of individuals, hundreds of small businesses, and the government.

Starting from offering 2G and growing to now provide 4G network, Safaricom has harnessed fibre infrastructure in ways that have seen Kenyans change how they live and do business.

M-PESA

The company’s mobile money transfer platform, M-PESA, has become an integral part of the lives of not only customers in Kenya but also afar.

Many people who had not dreamt of having a bank account can now save and transfer money from the comfort of their seats through M-PESA. Those with bank accounts can similarly transact without having to queue at the bank.

Within the data segment, Safaricom now offers high-speed data for access to email and internet through fixed and mobile broadband.

In 2017, Kenya achieved the milestone of one million active 4G customers. Safaricom credited the achievement to an expanding 4G network, increased affordability of 4G smartphones and more affordable data bundle options.

It also embraced FTTH (fibre to the home), which is the installation and use of optical fibre from a central point directly to homes to provide high-speed internet access.

Although the FTTH is not in every corner of the country like the 4G network, it is growing and also impacting lives.

HOME FIBRE

To the lovers of home entertainment, gone are the days that one had to buy movies on DVDs.

With Safaricom Home Fibre, one can stream their favourite shows online. And if you own several devices that need to be connected to the web, say your PC, your laptop, your tablet and smartphones, it doesn’t make sense to have them all on separate data plans.

Safaricom Home Fibre offers unlimited internet at the desired price and data speed.

Safaricom believes in a future where opportunity is availed to all regardless of status. Be it the underprivileged young ones, Safaricom believes that their future should not be negatively affected by their present or past.

The company was recently recognised by American Fortune business magazine for tackling public health, environmental, economic and other society challenges as part of its everyday operations.

According to Fortune Magazine’s “Change the World” list, Safaricom, with an estimated market value of Sh1.13 trillion, has used its M-PESA platform to impact millions of people’s lives.