Vodacom Group has reached a major milestone in its growth strategy after completing the acquisition of an additional 20% effective stake in Safaricom PLC, increasing its ownership to approximately 55% and securing controlling interest in one of Africa’s most influential telecommunications, fintech, and technology companies. The $2.1 billion (R35 billion) transaction follows the fulfilment of all remaining regulatory and legal conditions, including the lifting of a conservatory order by the Court of Appeal of Kenya. Originally announced in December 2025, the acquisition marks a significant development for Africa’s digital economy, positioning Vodacom to consolidate Safaricom’s financial results while strengthening its leadership across the continent’s rapidly expanding telecommunications and financial services landscape.
The transaction includes the acquisition of a 15% stake from the Government of Kenya and an effective additional 5% stake from Vodafone Group Plc at KES34 per share. Following the completion of the deal, the Government of Kenya retains a strategic 20% shareholding in Safaricom, which remains listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange. Beyond its financial value, the acquisition reflects growing investor confidence in Africa’s digital future and reinforces the importance of long-term strategic investments in telecommunications infrastructure, financial inclusion, and technology innovation. Safaricom’s strong financial performance, combined with Vodacom’s existing operations across multiple African markets, creates one of the continent’s most powerful digital ecosystems capable of delivering greater scale, operational synergies, and sustainable growth.
The acquisition further strengthens Vodacom’s Vision 2030 strategy, which focuses on expanding digital connectivity, financial services, and technology-driven solutions across Africa’s high-growth markets. Safaricom’s leadership in mobile connectivity, enterprise services, cloud technologies, Internet of Things (IoT), and particularly its globally recognized M-Pesa platform makes it a valuable addition to Vodacom’s long-term ambitions. With fintech contributing approximately 44% of Safaricom’s revenue in Kenya and the company continuing to expand its operations in Ethiopia, where it has already built a customer base of nearly 14 million subscribers, the partnership creates new opportunities to accelerate digital inclusion, deepen financial access, and expand innovative services across East Africa and beyond. The combined strengths of both organizations are expected to drive greater innovation while creating enhanced value for customers, businesses, investors, and governments.
The completion of the acquisition also highlights the broader economic significance of Safaricom’s continued growth. Over the past twenty-five years, the company has evolved from a mobile network operator into one of Africa’s leading digital transformation success stories, connecting millions of people while revolutionizing financial inclusion through M-Pesa. The Government of Kenya emphasized that the transaction allows the country to unlock part of the value created through its long-term investment in Safaricom while continuing to retain a strategic stake in the business. The proceeds are expected to support national development priorities, including investments in transport infrastructure, energy systems, water projects, and airports that will contribute to Kenya’s next phase of economic growth. At the same time, Safaricom remains positioned to continue driving innovation, connectivity, and digital transformation across the region.
For Africa’s telecommunications and technology sectors, this acquisition represents far more than a corporate ownership change. It signals the growing maturity of Africa’s digital economy and demonstrates how strategic partnerships between global telecommunications companies and regional market leaders can accelerate innovation, strengthen digital infrastructure, and expand financial inclusion at scale. With Vodacom now operating across a connected network of high-growth African markets stretching from South Africa through East and Central Africa to Egypt, and with Safaricom serving as the cornerstone of its East African operations, the Group is well positioned to shape the future of connectivity, fintech, enterprise technology, and digital services. The transaction reinforces confidence in Africa’s long-term digital growth trajectory while creating a stronger platform to deliver sustainable economic value and transformative digital opportunities across the continent.
