Safaricom at the Crossroads: The JuaTech Africa Deep Dive Series into Kenya's Digital Giant

Deep Dive Master Guide

Standfirst: Our focus turns on Safaricom at Crossroads, with a Deep Dive Series. Over the next ten instalments, JuaTech Africa unpacks Safaricom’s past, present, and future — from its product playbook and pricing strategy to its bold Ethiopia expansion, and the question that will define its legacy: Will it power Africa’s next unicorns or tax them at the gate? As new players such as Elon Musk-backed Starlink disrupt Safaricom’s home turf with Satellite Connectivity, the Digital Giant still has lots of ground to cover, well ahead of its nearest rivals.

How to Read This Series

This is our most comprehensive investigative tech-journalistic work yet — 10 interconnected features, each tackling a different dimension of Safaricom’s influence in East Africa’s digital economy.

New to the Safaricom as Crossroads series? Start here, then follow the parts in order.
Looking for a specific topic? Jump straight to the section that interests you.
Want the whole picture? Bookmark this page — we will update it daily as new parts go live.

The Series Line‑Up

The main Section includes 1-10 series.

Part 1: Origin & Brand Trust — Roots of a Power Brand: How Safaricom Became Kenya’s Digital Lifeline. We explore Safaricom’s modest beginnings in 1997 to Market Supremacy. [Read Part 1 →]

Part 2: Profit Vs. Service Equity — We dive deep on ‘Profit Paradox: Do Safaricom’s Billions Match Its Service Delivery?’ We delve into record revenues, question the Affordability Gap, and raise the debate on profitability versus Inclusion. [Read Part 2 →]

Part 3: MPesa Dual Role — Wholesomely, we tackle this subject matter under ‘Rails of Opportunity or Toll Booth? The M-Pesa Dilemma’ headline. Since its inception in 2007, Mpesa has grown to become the financial backbone of the nation. A lot runs around Mpesa, as discussed in this section. [Read Part 3 →]

Part 4: Innovation Hits and Misses — From Masoko’s Misfire to Ziidi’s Promise: Safaricom’s Product Playbook. We delve into why some great ventures fail and others succeed, and what important lessons can be learned from them. [Read Part 4 →]

Part 5: Infrastructure & Accessibility — 5G Dreams, 2G Realities: The Connectivity Gap Safaricom Must Close. We embark on reality checks, exploring digital literacy as an invisible problem, and the Last Mile venture to increase internet connectivity. [Read Part 5 →]

Part 6: The Data Question: Privacy, Surveillance, and Corporate Control Safaricom’s role as custodian of Kenya’s most valuable digital asset — your data. [Read Part 6 →]

Part 7: Leadership & Vision — Boardroom to Borderlands: Can Safaricom’s Leaders Scale a Continental Vision? Leadership capacity, ecosystem building, and the diplomacy of expansion. [Read Part 7 →]

Part 8 — Ethiopia’s Crucible: Safaricom’s Boldest Bet Yet A high-stakes market entry that could validate — or break — its continental thesis. [Read Part 8 →]

Part 9 — Pricing, Access, and the Innovation Bottleneck: ARPU vs. Affordability, API Friction, and the Competitive Squeeze. [Read Part 9 →]

The Bonus Section | Safaricom at Crossroads includes Parts 11 and 12.

Part 10 — Building With or Without Safaricom: A Strategist’s Decision Matrix A two-axis framework for founders, plus risks, rewards, and real-world case studies. [Read Part 11 →]

Part 11 — The Verdict: Will Safaricom Power Africa’s Next Unicorns or Tax Them at the Gate? Evidence-based conclusion, challenges to builders and policymakers, and a call to action. [Read Part 11 →]

Part 12 — Series Recap & Downloadable Report: A condensed synthesis of all parts, plus a free PDF of the whole investigation. [Read Part 12 →]

Why This Series Matters?

Safaricom is more than a telecom operator — it’s the backbone of Kenya’s digital economy and a rising force in Africa’s tech landscape. Understanding its strategies, strengths, and constraints is essential for: