Safaricom’s mobile money platform M-Pesa is now transacting over Ksh100 billion daily and handling more than 500 million transactions, marking a major milestone in the company’s digital transformation journey.
Speaking during the ongoing Connected Africa Summit 2026. Safaricom CEO Peter Ndegwa said the company has deployed a new platform capable of processing 10,000 transactions per second, significantly boosting the system’s efficiency and capacity.
Ndegwa noted that M-Pesa has already expanded into seven markets across Africa, creating opportunities for a wider digital economy across the region.
“We actually have the ingredients for creating a digital market, and M-Pesa is already in seven markets. So the use cases are there,” he said.
Safaricom @25 Years
Safaricom, which opened its doors in October 2000, is now celebrating 25 years of operations, having grown into a Ksh387 billion business.
The telco’s regional expansion has also gained momentum, particularly in Ethiopia, where Safaricom entered the market in October 2022. According to Ndegwa, the company has already attracted close to 15 million customers within just four years of operation.
He said the company’s success is anchored on strong digital platforms and the removal of barriers that slow adoption.
“The actual platforms are there. You need to remove the friction. And also, there needs to be a lot of work, and it’s already been demonstrated in Kenya,” he said.
Government Partnership in Public Sector Digitisation
Ndegwa revealed that Safaricom is working closely with the government to accelerate digitisation in critical public sectors. They include health, education, agriculture, and financial services.
He emphasised that connectivity remains the foundation of digital transformation.
“The reason why we can support is that we have the key assets that can be used to propel this. The connectivity layer is a very important one which connects everyone,” he said.
He added that digital public infrastructure, such as eCitizen, digital IDs, and integrated APIs, will play a major role in improving service delivery. It will also enable stronger public-private partnerships across the continent.
Local Device Assembly and Data Investment Key
Safaricom is also pushing for increased access to affordable devices through local manufacturing. Ndegwa said the company has already established a device assembly plant in Kenya and called on governments to either reduce taxes on imported devices or support local production.
He further highlighted the need for better spectrum access, satellite connectivity, and stronger investment in data centres as Africa moves deeper into digital transformation.
He noted that clear policies around public and private cloud services will also be critical in supporting innovation and scaling digital services.
AI Adoption Gains Momentum in Kenya
The second day of the Connected Africa Summit 2026 also focused on Digital Public Infrastructure, Artificial Intelligence, and Emerging Technologies. Industry leaders explored how innovation can drive meaningful connectivity across Africa.
Kenya’s AI adoption continues to rise, with 96 per cent of organisations currently implementing AI projects, particularly in customer service, software development, and marketing.
Innovators across the country are increasingly finding new opportunities in deploying Artificial Intelligence solutions. Reinforcing Kenya’s position as a growing technology hub in Africa.