Safaricom Starts To Pull Away From Its Telco Past And Faces The Weight Of Becoming A Real Tech Company
Safaricom moves through a slow but undeniable reckoning as it tries to shed the comfort of its telco past and step into a future shaped by real technological muscle
Safaricom spent years defined by mobile connectivity and a financial product that transformed how money moves in Kenya. That foundation built a powerful brand, yet the company’s recent moves point to something more ambitious. Safaricom is working to reposition itself as a technology-led organisation, one that treats telecom services as part of a wider ecosystem rather than the centre of its identity. The direction is clear in its internal priorities, its workforce planning, and the systems it has begun to build for long-term digital capability.
The shift does not rely on dramatic announcements. It appears in the details of how the company prepares its people, how it experiments with new tools, and how it studies the talent it will need for the next decade. These choices reveal an organisation that understands the limits of a traditional telco model in a rapidly evolving digital economy.
A Workforce Rebuilt for a Digital Future
Safaricom recognised early that becoming a technology-first company required far more than adopting new tools. It demanded a workforce that understood how digital systems work and how they shape modern business. The company therefore introduced a compulsory digital learning programme that reached every division. Employees completed courses covering AI fundamentals, data competency, and human-centered design. Each cluster selected an extra module aligned with its operational needs.
What began as a technical upskilling project turned into a cultural reset. Staff discovered a dense library of digital courses that had not been fully explored. The company tied the training to performance evaluations, which quietly shifted expectations across teams. Digital fluency was no longer optional. It became an essential part of professional growth inside the organisation.
Experiments That Move Learning Into Practice
Safaricom moved from training to application. It organised an internal challenge where teams were required to identify a business pain point and produce a working prototype in a single day. This exercise forced employees to apply their new skills to real operational issues. It encouraged rapid problem solving and cross-market collaboration, two qualities that matter for any company trying to operate like a technology firm.
These moments of experimentation helped Safaricom understand what a technology-first culture looks like in practice. It is shaped by iteration rather than hierarchy, and by the willingness to test ideas before they are fully formed.
Building a Pipeline for Specialized Digital Talent
The company also studied the talent shortages that accompany digital transformation. When it opened advanced technology roles, the candidate pool was limited. Instead of relying on an already strained market, Safaricom built its own pipeline. It sponsored training cohorts in software engineering and prepared another wave focused on cloud computing.
This approach reflected a practical calculation. Technology moves faster than formal education systems or traditional hiring channels. The company needed specialists who could support its 2030 ambitions, so it invested in creating them. The result is a long-term workforce strategy anchored in digital depth rather than headcount expansion.
AI Framed as an Operational Engine, Not a Disruption
Safaricom’s leadership has also been clear about how it views artificial intelligence. The company treats AI as a tool for clearing repetitive tasks and opening room for more strategic work. The message to employees is consistent. AI does not replace relevance. Obsolete skills do.
This framing has shaped an internal mindset that supports experimentation with machine learning, process automation, analytics, and prototype-driven problem solving. It positions Safaricom to develop products and internal systems that reflect a mature understanding of AI’s practical value.
The Emerging Shape of a Technology Company
The company’s preparations for 2030 are visible in several interconnected layers.
Safaricom is:
- reengineering its recruitment systems to evaluate digital potential as much as experience
- strengthening its internal learning platforms
- tying digital competence to performance expectations
- building structured training pipelines for specialised roles
- pushing staff to test new ideas in real business environments
Individually, these may look like modest internal measures. Together, they form the architecture of a company trying to move far beyond its legacy identity. Safaricom appears to be shaping a future where connectivity is only one element of a broader digital portfolio that includes artificial intelligence, machine learning, cybersecurity, cloud engineering, data analytics, and new technology-led products.
The transition is quiet, methodical, and grounded in preparation rather than projection. It suggests a company that knows the next decade will not reward complacency. Safaricom is constructing the capabilities it needs long before the market demands them, and that steady work is becoming the clearest sign of a telco turning itself into a diversified technology giant.
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