Safaricom Celebrates Silver Jubilee, 25 Years of Connecting and Transforming Lives

Twenty-five years ago, Kenya was a very different place and so was Safaricom.

From modest start as a new player in the mobile sector in 2000 to a top player in Kenya’s digital economy, Safaricom this morning celebrated its Silver Jubilee, 25 years of connecting Kenyans and transforming lives.

What began with a handful of internets and a dream to simplify communication has become one of Africa’s boldest tech companies.

Safaricom has become part of the country’s story over time from enabling that very first ever mobile call to spearheading the launch of M-PESA, a winning service that revolutionized Kenyan paying and remitting behaviour.

“Today, we’re not just celebrating 25 years of Safaricom’s existence,” said Dr. Peter Ndegwa, the company’s CEO. “We’re celebrating 25 years of connecting and transforming millions of lives. From the first mobile call on our network in 2000 to becoming a key player in Kenya’s digital economy, our journey has been about innovation, inclusion, and impact.”

”We are most grateful to our customers for going with us on this ride, and in the upcoming years, our vision never wavers to power digital transformation, empower enterprise, and empower communities in an inter-connected world.”

The history of Safaricom has been phenomenal. The telco recently hit 50 million subscribers in Kenya, and this figure says a lot about the trust and loyalty it has earned. And then there’s M-PESA the homegrown phenomenon that rewrote global thinking around cell money.

With over 35 million active customers, M-PESA is now much more than simply a payments platform; it’s the economic lifeline for firms, families, and entrepreneurs who use it on a daily basis.

The company also spent billions expanding its network expanding coverage to rural areas and adding 5G to meet Kenya’s growing need for faster, smarter connections. The technology is creating new prospects in education, commerce, and even government services, at the touch of a button.

Safaricom’s vision has not been limited within Kenya’s borders. In 2022, the company entered Ethiopia, opening doors to M-PESA and mobile services for more than a million new customers.
As of August 2025, Safaricom Ethiopia had more than 10 million subscribers, which was a clear indication of the direction that the company was heading in the region.

But even in expansion, Safaricom is not swayed from its mission Transforming Lives. It funds projects in education, health, and conservation via the Safaricom and M-PESA Foundations, touching the lives of millions of Kenyans and driving sustainable growth in the country.

As it celebrates its 25th anniversary, Safaricom is not only looking back at what it has achieved but also to a future in which every connection counts and each new thing presents a chance.

Also Read: Safaricom Surpasses 50 Million Customers Ahead of Silver Jubilee Celebrations