TechPression

Tag: Safaricom

  • Safaricom, EDOMx to offer Faraja’s buy now pay later service

    Safaricom, EDOMx to offer Faraja’s buy now pay later service

    Safaricom and EDOMx have collaborated to introduce Faraja, a solution that will allow more than 32 million people to purchase on credit from businesses utilizing Lipa Na M-PESA.

    If you use Faraja, you may buy anything between KSh. 20 and KSh. 100,000 and pay it off in 30 days with no interest. 

    According to CEO of  EDOMx, Julian Kyula, “In researching the global merchant and consumer industry, it was evident there is a substantial digital community that will appreciate our product offering, including our zero interest initiative, plus much more in enhancing loyalty and customer-focused programs.

    “We start in Kenya, but our sights are set on the international market, as we believe that innovative ideas like Faraja will do much to spur innovation in the digital financial industry, helping to achieve inclusiveness aims and promote genuine sector development.”

    “There’s no denying that the international digital financial frontier is evolving, and we’re certain that Kenya’s culture of digital innovation has much to offer the rest of the world. We have only just begun to introduce the many benefits of membership in the Faraja Community to our members. We care about conducting business in a manner that is compatible with our principles as much as we value the well-being of our consumers and the success of the companies of our partners.”

    Read also: Safaricom approves two new subsidiaries to support startups

    You can purchase items simultaneously under Faraja 

    To enrol in Faraja or make a payment, customers can dial *799# at merchants that support the service, or they can download the Faraja mini-app via the M-PESA Super App. In addition, Faraja allows users to make numerous purchases at once under their predetermined credit limitations. 

    Commenting on the company’s decision to join with EDOMx to provide the company’s clients with the “buy now, pay later” service Faraj, Peter Ndegwa, CEO of Safaricom said, “We continue to innovate M-PESA to provide business owners to utilise various tools and solutions to run their businesses more effectively and to more rapidly develop their businesses. When a potential consumer wants to make a purchase but can’t because they don’t have the cash on hand, the firm loses out on a transaction. 

    With the introduction of fresh innovation, the firm seeks to provide a solution to these challenges by allowing consumers to make purchases at the moment of need and pay for them at a later date, Faraja hopes to help company owners increase sales and expand their operations. 

    EDOMx will offer the Faraja service to more businesses

    To join Faraja, Lipa Na M-PESA businesses could simply visit the Faraja website at farajacredit.com or get in touch with EDOMx. Any Lipa Na M-PESA outlet that also provides Faraja may be used by customers. All Naivas stores, Goodlife Pharmacy, City Walk, and other retailers now provide the service. 

    The instant a consumer pays with Faraja, the business will get complete payment for the purchased item or service. 

    At a negotiated facility charge paid by the firm, Safaricom will make it possible for EDOMx to provide the Faraja service to more than 606,000 enterprises using Lipa Na M-PESA. Businesses may get money as soon as a consumer makes a purchase on Faraja owing to the credit EDOMx provides via the solution.

  • Safaricom approves two new subsidiaries to support startups

    Safaricom approves two new subsidiaries to support startups

    The shareholders of Safaricom have authorized the establishment of two new subsidiaries, one focused on seed-stage investments and the other on growth-stage investments in startups.

    Approved during Safaricom’s 15th Annual General Meeting (AGM), these major changes will go a long way towards supporting Kenya’s digital startup ecosystem, encouraging creativity, and strengthening Safaricom’s position as a driving force in the country’s tech landscape.

    Inspired by the Spark Fund, an investment vehicle of Safaricom PLC overseen by a Board of Trustees, a company limited by guarantee has been formed to invest in seed-stage startups throughout Kenya. The establishment of this fresh entity is meant to improve governance and administrative efficiency.

    Spark Fund portfolio companies include iProcure, which provides a platform for agricultural supply chains in rural Africa, and Sendy, a technology company that constructs fulfilment infrastructure for e-commerce and consumer brands; Shupavu 291 by Eneza education, which focuses on mobile-web learning for primary and secondary school students; and many others. Ajua, Africa’s first Integrated Customer Experience firm, and Soko Fresh, a provider of cold chain infrastructure that increases the storage life of products for Digifarm farmers, are two examples of such partners.

    Read also: Safaricom partners with EABL and Vivo to offer online shopping

    An open opportunity for startups

    Conversely, the new private limited liability company will be required to make investments in established, strategically linked businesses that support Safaricom’s goal of transitioning into a tech company by the year 2025. Safaricom PLC will use this corporation as its primary investment vehicle for all of its future strategic initiatives.

    Safaricom CEO Peter Ndegwa stated, “We are dedicated to strengthening the innovation ecosystem in Kenya and beyond, and this strategic decision will allow us to widen our investments, embracing both seed-stage and growth-stage start-ups. For Safaricom’s vision of being a purpose-led technology business to come to fruition, it is essential that these subsidiaries be incorporated.

    Mr. Ndegwa said the new firms would “help unlock new business models and value chain opportunities” for the company by expanding into new consumer, financial services, corporate, and SME markets.

    “We will be looking to invest in and support early-stage companies, particularly in emerging technologies like analytics, Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, and the Internet of Things,” he said. In the next weeks, we will announce the application period,

    Mr Adil Khawaja, Chairman of the Board, said: “We thank our shareholders for their unwavering support in establishing the new subsidiaries. By investing in tech entrepreneurs and initiatives that align with our strategic mission, we aim to continue to transform lives by connecting people, opportunities, and information while driving innovation, creating value, and leaving a lasting impact on society.”

    Safaricom Ethiopia appoints MTN Uganda CEO as its new boss

    New dividend approved

    The annual meeting also saw the approval of a final dividend of KES 0.62 per ordinary share, for a total of KES 24.84 billion. In February 2023, the Board authorised a payment of an interim dividend of KES 0.58 per ordinary share, totalling a total of KES 23.24 billion for our shareholders. This increases the total dividend for the year to KES 48.08 billion, which equals KES 1.20 per share in respect of the year ended 31 March 2023. The dividend will be issued on or around 31 August 2023 to the shareholders on the Register of Members as at the close of business on 28 July 2023.

    This past year, the firm dealt with severe operating circumstances, including heightened regulatory scrutiny, changes in taxation regulations, political uncertainty surrounding the elections, and a substantial economic downturn worsened by increasing prices, currency devaluation, drought, and hunger. The updated Mobile Termination Rate (MTR) and higher excise tax on SIM cards and mobile phones brought extra pressure to the firm. However, despite these hurdles, Safaricom displayed tenacity over the year to preserve an overall strong performance.

    Safaricom CEO Mr. Ndegwa said, “Our performance in the year demonstrated the strong commitment to delivering value for our stakeholders, including employees, customers, shareholders, and the community.”

  • Safaricom partners with EABL and Vivo to offer online shopping

    Safaricom partners with EABL and Vivo to offer online shopping

    Safaricom, East African Breweries PLC and Vivo have partnered to introduce The Bar and Shell apps on the M-PESA Super App.

    The Bar app by EABL allows users to purchase beverages and have them delivered for free, as well as arrange a bar setup for parties and make payments for it using the M-PESA app.

    Customers who refuel at Shell stations will have access to a loyalty app from Vivo that is integrated with M-PESA.

    This implies that whenever a consumer fills up their tank and pays with M-PESA, they will earn points to the app depending on the amount of the payment that was processed via their M-PESA Account. These points are redeemable at participating Shell outlets for a variety of products and services.

    Read also: Safaricom plans two new venture capital subsidiaries

    “We are excited to welcome East African Breweries and Vivo as partners on the M-PESA Super App,” said Peter Ndegwa, CEO of Safaricom. The Bar and Shell apps will provide the more than 3 million customers on the app with the increased convenience of shopping online coupled with free deliveries and more value when fuelling at Shell outlets.”

    “These partnerships are part of our goal to enable our customers to do more through the M-PESA Super App by connecting them digitally to the different businesses and services on our platform.”

    M-PESA Super App currently have more than 3 million users

    The Bar and Shell applications are set to launch in the coming weeks, broadening the scope of the services offered via the M-PESA Super App. The M-PESA Super App already hosts applications for over 60 different companies, including government parastatals and counties, all of which are expanding to include these new additions.

    Meanwhile, Safaricom maintains its support to these businesses by providing space on its infrastructure for hosting and distribution as well as marketing services.

    Jio Platforms and Meta work together to introduce JioMart shopping on WhatsApp

    Compared to its user base of just 1.2 million in April of 2023, the M-PESA Super App has had phenomenal growth, with more than 3 million users currently using its services. The Super App processed 489 million transactions for a total of Sh1.3 trillion in Safaricom’s most recent fiscal year, which concluded in April 2023.

    To further its mission of digital transformation and customer experience improvement, Safaricom has forged strategic partnerships with market giants like EABL and Vivo. Safaricom hopes to further establish itself as the leading provider of digital services in East Africa by introducing The Bar and Shell applications on the M-PESA Super App.

  • Safaricom plans two new venture capital subsidiaries

    Safaricom plans two new venture capital subsidiaries

    Safaricom, the largest telecoms provider in Kenya, has announced plans to establish two venture capital companies as part of its aim to further entrench itself in Kenya’s burgeoning technological start-up ecosystem.

    The telecom firm plans to use these new subsidiaries to scout for, incubate, and ultimately invest in promising startups and growing businesses. This strategic action is consistent with Safaricom’s long-term goals of continued development and expansion.

    Safaricom’s plans to drive its expansion in the future years would rely heavily on the planned venture capital companies. The telecommunications behemoth plans to fund and assist both new ventures in the “seed stage” and more established “growth stage,” or scale-ups. Safaricom’s mission is to aid in the expansion of Kenya’s digital ecosystem by spotting and fostering promising young innovators.

    The establishment of the two venture capital businesses is subject to shareholder approval at Safaricom’s forthcoming annual general meeting on July 28. This major move exemplifies the firm’s dedication to promoting innovation and entrepreneurship in Kenya’s technology industry. Safaricom’s commitment to openness and accountability in its strategic decisions is reflected in its decision to seek shareholder approval for the project.

    Read also: Safaricom Ethiopia appoints MTN Uganda CEO as its new boss

    Developing a network for the future

    Safaricom’s goals for VC firms are laid out in the special business agenda for the next annual general meeting. One subsidiary will specialize in investing in seed-stage start-ups, providing essential funding to support technology entrepreneurs’ early development and growth. The other subsidiary will invest in early-stage businesses poised for rapid expansion (scale-ups) and other endeavors that support Safaricom’s overarching goals. Safaricom’s dedication to supporting a wide variety of IT companies, as well as its desire to see a return on its investments, are both reflected in this dual strategy.

    In the realm of digital business, the company’s focus is on cloud computing, cybersecurity, and the Internet of Things (IoT), backed by IT consulting services for both private and public sector customers.

    The company began operations on the plan in March 2021, and it has since activated its 5G service and grown to 35 5G sites, with plans to grow to 200 sites in the next fiscal year. Safaricom’s goal is to give its clients more control over their lives by providing them with high-speed internet wherever they go. With approximately 6,000 4G base stations, its 4G coverage in Kenya has reached 97%.

    Safaricom Launches a mobile data payment service

    About

    Safaricom PLC is a mission-driven technology provider of mobile phone, messaging, data, financial and convergent services, and digital services that power business and consumer platforms and ecosystem collaborations.

    Safaricom invests in a novel approach to business via its stated mission of “transforming lives,” and the company actively attempts to give Kenyans a stake in its success by providing Kenyans with the resources they need to thrive. It has over 6,100 towers linking Kenyans all across the nation, serving 42 million clients and more than 30 million users of its M-PESA service.

  • Safaricom Ethiopia appoints MTN Uganda CEO as its new boss

    Safaricom Ethiopia appoints MTN Uganda CEO as its new boss

    Wim Vanhelleputte, who formerly served as the CEO of MTN Uganda, has been given the responsibility of leading Safaricom‘s operations in Ethiopia. 

    His appointment will become effective in September 2023, at which time he will succeed Anwar Soussa, who has served in this capacity for the previous two years.

    After working in the telecoms business across numerous markets in sub-Saharan Africa for over 25 years, Safaricom CEO Peter Ndegwa voiced his trust in Vanhelleputte, adding that Wim provides considerable leadership experience and strong industry expertise. Ndegwa also stated that Vanhelleputte will be an asset to the company.

    Before taking on his current position, Vanhelleputte had been working since August 2022 as the operations executive for West and Central Africa for the MTN Group. Additionally, from 2016 until 2022, he served as the Chief Executive Officer of MTN Uganda. He was succeeded in that role by Sylvia Mulinge, who had previously held the post of Head of Consumer Business at Safaricom Kenya.

    The revitalization of Safaricom Ethiopia’s business operations will be Vanhelleputte’s primary duty. Safaricom Ethiopia just recently received a licence to offer mobile money services; therefore, this is an exciting time for the company. Vanhelleputte has held a number of important positions over the course of his career, including those of CEO at Sentel GSM in Senegal, managing director of TchadMobile in Chad, and general manager at Telcel Gabon, to name just a few of these roles. As a result, he has collected a wealth of knowledge in the field of telecommunications.

    Read also: Safaricom Ethiopia’s CEO resigns

    Statement from  Safaricom 

    A statement from Safaricom Kenya read, “We are pleased to announce the appointment of Wim Vanhelleputte as the chief executive officer of Safaricom Ethiopia effective 1st September 2023. Wim brings extensive leadership experience and deep industry knowledge, having worked in the telecommunications industry across multiple markets in sub-Saharan Africa for over 25 years. He joins Safaricom Ethiopia from MTN Group, where he was the operations executive—markets since August 2022, and he was responsible for the performance and governance of four operating companies in West and Central Africa.”

    “As Wim joins us, we have planned for a seamless transition to ensure that we maintain our momentum so far in delivering our vision to transform lives through a digital future for all Ethiopians,” concluded Safaricom.

    Safaricom Launches a mobile data payment service

    About Safaricom

    Safaricom PLC is a publicly traded mobile network operator in Kenya. Its headquarters are located in Nairobi, Kenya, at the Safaricom House. It is the most important provider of telecommunications services in Kenya and is consistently ranked among the most lucrative businesses in the East and Central Africa region.

    Safaricom PLC (Safaricom) is a company that only does business in Kenya and has its headquarters in Safaricom House in Nairobi. The company is extremely patriotic about being a Kenyan brand.

    The company provides a variety of services, including mobile phone, mobile money transfer, consumer electronics, online commerce, cloud computing, data, music streaming, and fibre optics. It is best famous for being the birthplace of M-PESA, a mobile banking service that is based on SMS.

    Customers will be able to take advantage of affordable browsing rates while roaming in countries such as South Africa, China, the Netherlands, Ghana, and Congo due to data roaming bundles. Countries included in this group are the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Mexico, New Zealand, Nigeria, Qatar, Romania, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, and Uganda.

    At this time, leading telecommunications provider Safaricom does not place any restrictions on the number of lines a client can register using their identity card; however, Safaricom has placed a limit of two on the number of M-Pesa lines that can be registered using the same ID.

    In terms of phone services, Safaricom received a score of 360 out of 400, and in terms of data services, they received a score of 472 out of 600. Umlaut discovered that Safaricom was the only mobile operator to deliver voice-over-LTE (VoLTE) services across the country, including in rural regions. This enabled Safaricom to achieve the best call set-up time of any operator.

  • Safaricom Launches a mobile data payment service

    Safaricom Launches a mobile data payment service

    Safaricom, the largest communications company in Kenya, has released a new payment service that lets customers pay for goods and services with mobile data.

    The new service, called “Lipa na Data,” lets Safaricom prepaid customers with at least 5GB of data on their accounts pay for goods and services. Also, prepaid users with packs of more than 5GB that don’t expire can use this service.

    Users will have to use their Safaricom phone to dial *544*34#. They will then be asked to pay the amount they typed in via the till numbers or pay their bills.

    When the user calls the payment request code, the bundle calculator tells them how much their bill is in Kenyan shillings for their data bundle and asks if they want to pay or not.

    For example, 500 Megabytes of mobile data cost 32.50 Shillings, and 2,000 Shillings are equal to 30,769.23 MB (30.8GB).

    Users can’t use this service past the dialling code, though, if they don’t have enough data balance. They will get a message back that says, “You are not qualified to use this service.”

    Safaricom’s innovative services and product offerings have helped them retain and gain consumers.

    The telco behemoth is also aggressively optimizing revenue. In April, Kenya’s 21 countries got 5G network coverage, and last month, businesses got Fuliza overdrafts.

    As of 2020, Safaricom dominates 64.5% of the Kenyan market, with 35.6 million subscribers. Safaricom has a 69.2% voice and 92.2% SMS market share.

    Read also: Ethiopia’s Safaricom secures $1 billion

    Safaricom Rules Kenya

    Safaricom was started in 1997 with the goal of making people’s lives better. The telecommunications giant sees mobile telecommunications and the goods and services that go with it as a unique chance to improve the quality of life and help Kenyans, and others make a living in a sustainable way.

    Kenya’s economy is still being helped by the company. In the year that ended in March 2020, the corporation added KES 654 billion, or 6% of Kenya’s GDP, to the economy. This made it clear that it was the biggest contributor.

    In the same year, the company made more than KES 71 billion and paid more than KES 110 billion in taxes.

    Forbes Global 200 called Safaricom the best place to work in Africa and the 67th best place in the world. In 2020, Safaricom had 4,500 full-time employees and 1,900 contract workers.

    In March 2018, the company was named the best place to work in Kenya by Brighter Monday.

     

    Safaricom’s Fintech Growth M-PESA

    In 2007, Safaricom started M-PESA, a tool for mobile money transfers, small loans, and microfinance. M-PESA was made to save money on cash-handling costs by letting people pay back microfinance loans over the phone.

    After the test, it became a way for people to send money to each other. Since then, Safaricom M-PESA has grown to cover 12 African countries and three countries outside of Africa.

    It helps about 51 million people every month. It lets people send money to each other, get money from an ATM, make payments, make payments in bulk, and send money from a bank to M-PESA.

    By December 2011, the financial site had 17 million users in Kenya.

    The growth of M-PESA made established banks pay attention. For the first 11 months of 2014, M-PESA trades were worth KSh.2.1 trillion, which is up 28% from 2013. This is about half of the country’s GDP.

    In September 2021, the Communications Commission of Kenya said that 29.1 million people, or 63% of the population, were using M-Pesa. Kenyans used M-Pesa to send and receive KSh 5.1 trillion (about $47 billion) in September 2021.

    Kenya’s business has also been helped by M-Pesa. The World Bank says that M-Pesa has added 2% to Kenya’s GDP since 2007. Studies show that 185,000 Kenyans work for M-Pesa.

    M-Pesa’s fame in Kenya has spread to Tanzania, Mozambique, India, and Romania.

  • Safaricom Ethiopia’s CEO resigns

    Safaricom Ethiopia’s CEO resigns

    Anwar Soussa, who has served as CEO of Safaricom Ethiopia, has decided to leave the company.

    The Chief Executive Officer began working with Safaricom in August 2021 but has now resigned.

    Anwar will leave the company at the end of July, bringing to a close his tenure there that spanned two years. 

    The parent firm of Safaricom Ethiopia, Safaricom (Kenya), has begun preparations to enter the Ethiopian market as early as the year 2020. In 2021, when Safaricom launched test telecom programmes alongside its partners Vodacom Group, Sumitomo Corporation, and CDC Group under the collective name Global Partnership for Ethiopia (GPE), the Ethiopian government accepted the offer. 

    The launch costs $850 million to the consortium.

    Read also: Ethiopia’s Safaricom secures $1 billion

    Achievements of Safaricom under Anwar’s administration

    In the months that followed, Safaricom Ethiopia got its house in order by gradually enrolling users while also employing workers, establishing network equipment such as data centres, and generally getting everything in order. October 2022 marked the official beginning of commercial operations for the company. 

    After implementing digital biometrics and electronic know-your-customer (e-KYC) processes at more than 5,000 sites, the company has since simplified the process of onboarding new customers. It is able to serve locals in up to five different languages. It has also prioritised being a young brand that offers internet services, voice services, SMS services, and home 4G Wi-Fi connectivity.

    Safaricom Ethiopia had a subscriber base of about 4 million by the end of the fiscal year 2022/2023, with approximately 2.1 million actively using their services. The company has an objective of reaching 10 million customers by the end of the fiscal year 2024. 

    The next CEO?

    These clients were responsible for generating a total revenue of KES 562.4 million, which is equivalent to more than $4 million. Of this total, mobile data contributed 63%, voice services accounted for 24%, and the remaining money was created through messaging and mobile services.

    Safaricom has not yet disclosed the individual who would assume responsibility for this position. 

    The statement released by Safaricom

    The operator, in a statement that was distributed by Safaricom, said, “Anwar Soussa, chief executive officer of Safaricom Ethiopia, will be leaving the business effective 31st July 2023 once his secondment comes to an end. Under Anwar’s leadership, the telco also secured a mobile financial services licence, paving the way for the launch of M-PESA services. 

    Our heartfelt gratitude to Anwar for his leadership and contributions to Safaricom Ethiopia. Throughout his tenure, he has demonstrated unwavering passion and commitment, which have played a crucial role in our achievements thus far. We will announce Anwar’s successor in due course.”

    Safaricom Introduces Daima to allow Customers Keep Dormant Lines Active

    About Safaricom

    “STEP” stands for Safaricom Telecommunications Ethiopia PLC, and it is a purpose-driven technology and communication company that is dedicated to contributing to Ethiopia’s digital transformation and inclusion agenda.

    Since the official opening of its first shop in Ethiopia, mobile network operator Safaricom has been there for more than seven months. There is undeniable evidence that the corporation has expanded since it has successfully brought slightly more than 3 million users onto its networks. In addition to this, Safaricom is working on bringing mobile money services known as M-PESA to the country.

    An SPV known as Safaricom Telecommunications Ethiopia P.L.C., formerly known as Global Partnership for Ethiopia BV, was recently granted a licence to offer telecommunications services in Ethiopia in exchange for a licence fee of 850 million United States dollars. Due to the size of this fee, it became the largest foreign direct investment ever made into Ethiopia. 

    Addis Ababa, which is located in Ethiopia, is the location of the company’s headquarters.

  • Ethiopia’s Safaricom secures $1 billion

    Ethiopia’s Safaricom secures $1 billion

    Safaricom has excitedly announced that it has welcomed the investment made by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA).

    The announcement follows the equity investment and guarantees into the mobile network operator.

    Chief Executive Officer of Safaricom PLC Peter Ndegwa stated that he, along with the other members of the Global Partnership for Ethiopia (British International Investment, Sumitomo Corporation, Vodacom and Vodafone), was looking forward to working with the World Bank Group to jointly contribute to the telecommunications reform programme, digital transformation goals, and inclusion goals.

    Read also: Safaricom and Google Partner on YouTube content production

    Benefits to Ethiopia’s telecoms sector

    This will provide Ethiopians with access to technology and mobile communication on a world-class level, both of which will stimulate economic growth in the East African nation of Ethiopia.

    Ndegwa explained further that “the equity investment by IFC and the 10-year guarantees of US$1 billion by MIGA is a show of confidence in Ethiopia as a viable growth market” as well as in their  business.”

    His remarks were in reference to the investment that had been disclosed the previous day.

    It is envisaged that the equity investment, the loan, and the guarantees made to support the ongoing building and management of Safaricom Ethiopia’s greenfield telecommunications network will result in internet access that is more inexpensive, mobile connection that is more dependable, and technology that can be utilised by enterprises and individuals alike.

    IFC will make an equity investment of $157.4 million in GPE and will also make an A-loan of $100 million to Safaricom Ethiopia, which is GPE’s fully owned subsidiary. As a result of the acquisition, IFC will have a position in Safaricom Ethiopia that is below majority ownership.

    MIGA’s contribution

    Guarantees from the Millennium Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) in the amount of one billion dollars will be provided over a period of ten years to cover the equity investments made by Safaricom Ethiopia’s owners, who include Vodafone Group, Vodacom, Safaricom, and British International Investment.

    The MIGA Guarantee Facility, which is a component of the Private Sector Window of the International Development Association, will provide a first loss layer for a portion of the MIGA guarantees, totaling $76 million. This layer will come from the MIGA Guarantee Facility.

    Safaricom Ethiopia will be able to roll out and operate 4G and 5G mobile networks across the entire nation with the assistance of investment and guarantees. This includes both rural and urban areas.

    Additionally, in accordance with a licence that was awarded to Safaricom Ethiopia in May 2023 by the Central Bank of Ethiopia, the company intends to start financial services in 2023 under the brand name M-PESA.

    With a population of about 120 million people, Ethiopia is the second most populous country in Africa (the most populous country in Africa being Nigeria).

    Kenya Telecom Giant Safaricom Takes A Shot At Spotify With Baze Music

    About Safaricom

    Safaricom PLC is a mobile network operator in Africa that is traded openly on the stock market. The Safaricom House in Nairobi, Kenya serves as the location of the company’s headquarters. It is routinely recognised among the most successful firms in the East and Central Africa region and holds the position of being Kenya’s most important provider of telecommunications services.

    The business offers many different products and services, such as mobile phones, mobile money transfers, consumer goods, online commerce, cloud computing, data, music streaming, and fiber optics, among others. The most well-known characteristic of it is that it is the place where MPESA, a mobile banking service that is based on SMS, was first created. This is the most well-known aspect of it.

  • Safaricom and Google Partner on YouTube content production

    Safaricom and Google Partner on YouTube content production

    Safaricom, a Kenyan telecommunications company, recently announced that it had made a deal with Google to promote and add more short videos from YouTube to its platform.

    During the promotion, which will last for a total of two months, content creators in the east African country will be able to get 1GB of data for as little as 10 Kenyan Shillings, or $0.08 USD.

    The telecommunications company also said that it is offering these services at such low prices to encourage Kenyans to get used to streaming videos.

    According to a statement from Safaricom, the company’s CEO, Peter Ndegwa, said, “I believe this new data bundle offer will help lift up new talent by giving them more chances to show off their skills and talents and get recognized both locally and internationally.”

    Read also: YouTube Takes on TikTok: Give Creators 45% Revenue

    The campaign will be called “YouTube shorts challenge” 

    According to the statement released by the telecommunications company, the campaign will be held in conjunction with a competition that will be known as the YouTube Shorts Challenge. Individuals who create and upload original videos will have the opportunity to win both weekly cash prizes and a grand cash prize.

    The weekly cash prize awards will honour 15 content creators. Depending on how much they won, each will get between KES5,000 ($41.20) and KES120,000 ($990) in cash.

    “At the conclusion of the competition, the content creator who achieved the highest ranking by garnering the most combined likes and views will be awarded a prize of KES1.2 million ($9,900). The runners-up will each receive KES 800,000 ($6,600), which puts them in second place, and KES 600,000 ($4,950), which puts them in third place, “the telecom company said.

    Customers can buy the daily KES10 for 1GB data bundles that are being offered for the YouTube shorts competition by dialing *544*55#.

    This brand-new campaign will be accessible to a significant number of mobile users in Kenya. As the telecommunications company that has only just activated its mobile network and services in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia,

    As of the second quarter of 2020, market research company Omdia said that the telecommunications operator Safaricom has 43 million members.

    Airtel Kenya, which has 16.4 million customers, comes in second place. In the second quarter of 2022, Telkom Kenya maintained its position as the third-largest mobile service provider in the country, with over 4.4 million clients. Jamii Telecommunications comes in at number four despite having only 275,000 customers.

    YouTube Introduces “Name Handle” To Make Creator Tagging Simpler

    About Safaricom

    Safaricom PLC is a publicly traded mobile network operator in Kenya. Its headquarters are located in Nairobi, Kenya, at the Safaricom House.  It is the most important provider of telecommunications services in Kenya and is consistently ranked among the most successful businesses in the East and Central Africa area. The company provides a variety of services, including mobile phones, mobile money transfers, consumer electronics, online commerce, cloud computing, data, music streaming, and fiber optics. The most well-known aspect of it is that it is the birthplace of MPESA, a mobile banking service that is based on SMS.

  • Safaricom Introduces Daima to allow Customers Keep Dormant Lines Active

    Safaricom Introduces Daima to allow Customers Keep Dormant Lines Active

    Safaricom has launched Daima, a service that will let users maintain the functionality of inactive lines even when they haven’t been used for a while. Through this service, customers pay a nominal price to keep their numbers active even after the 90-day inactivity period has passed or to go outside of the nation (Kenya).

    SIM card customers will need to pay KSh. 200 for the new service for six months, KSh. 500 for a year, and KSh. 1000 if they wish to keep their line active for two years without topping it off or activating it.

    You can reach the ground-breaking service by dialling *100*4# and selecting “Daima.” Each choice will offer 20 minutes of talking time and 20 SMS every month across all networks.

    Customers who frequently go overseas or whose lines are unavailable for extended periods for other reasons can address their worries with Daima in a timely manner. Thus, customers can maintain multiple lines for different services.

    Read also: Safaricom pioneers fixed 5g wireless network in Africa

    Service providers are permitted by law to renew client lines that have been idle for 90 days straight

    Safaricom PLC CEO Peter Ndegwa stated, “We are yet again innovating around our customers’ needs by introducing solutions such as Daima that are modeled around the lifestyles of our customers. The Daima service empowers customers such as those working abroad, those in learning institutions, those going away for extended periods, or those with multiple lines to keep their lines active and remain affordably connected for an extended period of between 6 and 24 months without the need to top up frequently.”

    How Safaricom is Staying Ahead

    Furthermore, it should be emphasized that this development occurs at a time when telecoms are actively attempting to keep their clients by encouraging them to validate their SIM information. Although the deadline (October 15, 2022) has passed, the Communications Authority of Kenya, the ICT regulator, has once more “extended” the deadline by a further sixty days. Telcos and unregistered clients should have enough time to complete the SIM registration process as a result of this.

    In terms of registration compliance, as of now, Safaricom is in the lead with 91 per cent, followed by Airtel with 48%. 60% of Telkom Kenya’s customers are unregistered.

    Safaricom’s Similar Progress in Ethiopia

    According to Safaricom, it has since carried out the same action in the Ethiopian market. Every customer who buys a SIM card in Ethiopia is completely registered, including having their biometric data taken.

    The CEO of Safaricom, Peter Ndegwa, made the announcements today after meeting one-on-one with members of the press and social media influencers. The telco has a ton of items in the works, according to the CEO, and we expect to learn more about them in the upcoming months. Some of them go beyond just making M-PESA payments for offering additional services. 

    Given the numerous complaints that the telco charges a little bit too much for amounts under KES 1000, there is also a likelihood that it will examine its M-PESA pricing.

    After the CBK issues a license, its investment platform Mali will also become operational at some point in the future.

    M-PESA to Split from Safaricom by January 2023

    Safaricom Provides 5-G Wi-Fi 

    In addition to its expanding fiber network, Safaricom has announced the availability of 5G Wi-Fi to give its customers access to lightning-fast internet at home and work.

    In March of last year, the telecom became the first service provider in Kenya to launch 5G trials, and as a result, customers in 5G-ready locations can now take advantage of quick and dependable internet connectivity for their homes and businesses.

    Customers in 5G-ready areas can purchase a 5G router for KES 25,000 plus a KES 5,000 setup fee and choose one of three available packages to access 5G Wi-Fi. Customers will also have the choice to sign a 36-month contract in order to get the router for no cost.

    After reaching their allotted usage limit, subscribers will still be able to access the internet, according to Safaricom, albeit at throttled rates. Customers will be able to access the 5G network and benefit from ultrafast 5G speeds using supported 5G handsets. Smartphones from the Samsung Galaxy S and Fold series, as well as 5G models from Huawei and Oppo, are among those that are supported. Customers using iPhones and some Samsung devices that support 5G will need a manufacturer-issued software upgrade in order to access the 5G network.