Safaricom PLC has officially launched a nationwide campaign called “Shangwe @25” to commemorate 25 years of operation in Kenya, a move designed to reward its customer base while channeling funds into local community initiatives. The promotion, which kicked off with regional events across the country, including in Mtwapa and Eldoret, will see millions of customers win a range of prizes.

The cornerstone of the celebration is a grand prize draw where 25 individual customers will each win KES 1 million. In a significant move tying individual success to communal benefit, Safaricom will grant each of these top winners an additional KES 250,000 to fund a community project of their choosing. “'Shangwe @25' is our way of saying thank you and ensuring that when one customer wins, their community wins too,” stated Peter Ndegwa, Safaricom Group CEO, in a statement released on Monday, November 3, 2025.

The campaign also extends robust support to the business sector. Twenty-five micro and small enterprises are set to win a Bajaj tricycle each to enhance their operational mobility. Furthermore, 15 medium and large enterprises will be awarded KES 500,000 each to implement their own community-focused projects. Weekly prizes are also on offer, with five small businesses winning stock worth KES 250,000 every week. According to the company, over five million customers are expected to win prizes, which include instant M-PESA cash rewards from KES 100 to KES 10,000, airtime, data bundles, and 5G routers. A festive component, the “Green Box” experience, will offer surprise gifts such as electronic devices and livestock during the holiday season.

Participation in the promotion is automatic for customers using Safaricom services, including making calls, purchasing data bundles, or transacting via M-PESA.

A Quarter-Century of Transformation

Established in 1997 as a subsidiary of Telkom Kenya, Safaricom officially launched in October 2000 after Vodafone PLC acquired a 40% stake. From an initial subscriber base of about 26,000 in 2001, the company has grown into the largest telecommunications provider in East and Central Africa. A pivotal moment in its history was the launch of the M-PESA mobile money service in March 2007, an innovation that has fundamentally reshaped Kenya's financial landscape and now sees nearly half of the country's GDP transacted through its ecosystem. The company went public with an Initial Public Offering (IPO) on the Nairobi Securities Exchange in 2008.

Safaricom's economic and social footprint in Kenya is substantial. According to its 2025 Sustainable Business Report, the company's total value contribution to the Kenyan economy reached KES 1.1 trillion, approximately 16 times its financial profit. The report, published in October 2025, indicated a direct contribution of KES 809 billion to the country's GDP. For the financial year ending in March 2025, the company reported revenues of KES 388.7 billion and sustained over 1.2 million jobs through its ecosystem of dealers, agents, and developers.

Commitment to Community Development

The 'Shangwe @25' campaign aligns with Safaricom's long-standing focus on corporate social responsibility through the Safaricom and M-PESA Foundations. Concurrent with its anniversary celebrations, the M-PESA Foundation recently launched a five-year educational initiative named “Citizens of the Future.” With an initial investment of KES 30 billion, the program aims to upgrade infrastructure in over 600 schools, enhance ICT skills for teachers, and provide more than 10,000 scholarships to students in secondary and vocational institutions. This new commitment builds on a claimed KES 29 billion already invested in education by the foundations, which the company states has impacted over 4 million learners.

The anniversary promotion and its integrated community give-back model underscore the company's strategy of linking its commercial success to the socio-economic development of the country it has operated in for the last quarter-century.