Safaricom plans to build 300 additional network masts and enhance several of its data bundles as demand for mobile connectivity continues to rise across Kenya. The expansion will bring the company’s latest rollout to 500 sites after an initial 200 masts were deployed in areas that had limited network coverage, where Safaricom says improved connectivity has already helped support economic activity. Alongside the infrastructure investment, the telco is increasing the amount of data customers receive on selected bundles, including raising its KSh20 bundle from 100MB to 250MB following customer feedback.
The twin announcements reflect a strategy focused on strengthening both network capacity and customer value. Rather than relying on broad price reductions, Safaricom is investing in the infrastructure needed to carry more traffic while giving subscribers larger data allocations for the same price. The approach comes as mobile internet has become central to how many Kenyans learn, work, create content and run businesses.
The investment also aligns with broader trends across the telecommunications sector. Communications Authority data shows mobile broadband users consumed more than 800 million GB of data during the first quarter of 2026, a 6% increase from the previous quarter. Average monthly usage reached 15.1GB per subscription, while 5G subscribers consumed an average of 53.5GB each month, illustrating the growing demand operators must support through continued network expansion.
For Safaricom, which serves 57.9 million mobile subscriptions and holds a 68.9% share of Kenya’s mobile market, expanding network infrastructure has become as important as introducing new products. More subscribers are relying on mobile broadband for everyday activities, placing greater demands on network coverage, capacity and reliability across both urban centres and underserved regions.
The additional 300 masts are intended to strengthen that foundation. According to Safaricom, the first phase of 200 sites demonstrated that extending connectivity can help unlock commercial activity by bringing reliable mobile services to communities that previously had limited access. The next phase builds on that programme by expanding coverage further while preparing the network to handle growing data traffic on both 4G and 5G.
At the same time, the company is revising its data bundles after reviewing how customers use mobile internet. Instead of focusing on hourly “bridge” bundles designed for short-term connectivity, Safaricom has chosen to improve its standard bundles, allowing customers to stay connected for longer before purchasing another package.
“What we’ve done is that we’ve looked at our data plans and said how can we enhance them. Previously we were giving hourly plans just so that customers could be able to bridge, but now we are saying even normal bundles, how can we enhance them,” said Fawzia Ali, Chief Consumer Business Officer at Safaricom.
Ali said the decision was driven by customer feedback and changing patterns of data usage, with more subscribers relying on mobile internet for productive purposes rather than occasional browsing.
“But the thing about it is that that data they’re using it for good use. Could be a content creator, could be a student. So we’ve gone and after listening and working with the customers we’ve enhanced our data bundles,” she said.
One example highlighted by the company is the KSh20 bundle, which previously offered 100MB but will now provide 250MB. Although the price remains unchanged, subscribers receive two-and-a-half times more data, giving students, creators, remote workers and other users more capacity to complete everyday tasks without topping up as frequently.
The bundle enhancements complement the network expansion. Offering customers more data creates greater demand on network resources, while investing in additional masts helps ensure the infrastructure can support that growth. Together, the initiatives illustrate how Safaricom is preparing its network for a future where mobile connectivity continues to underpin work, education, entertainment and digital services across Kenya.
Safaricom’s latest announcements also recognise that offering more data is only part of the customer experience. The company plans to step up consumer education on how smartphones consume mobile data, particularly through background applications that continue running even when users are not actively using them. Many customers assume their bundles are depleted by heavy browsing alone, yet automatic updates, cloud backups, social media syncing and other background processes can quietly consume significant amounts of data.
By helping subscribers identify and manage those applications, Safaricom hopes customers will make better use of their bundles and understand where their data is going. The education campaign complements the larger bundle allocations, giving customers both more data and practical guidance on extending its usefulness. The initiative also addresses a common source of frustration among subscribers who feel their bundles run out faster than expected.
The connectivity announcements were accompanied by measures aimed at expanding digital payments through the M-PESA ecosystem. Safaricom said it will raise the fee-free payment limit on Pochi la Biashara from KSh100 to KSh200, allowing customers making small everyday purchases, such as paying for public transport or buying groceries at local markets, to complete transactions without paying transfer charges. The company is also encouraging more informal merchants to adopt Pochi la Biashara, making it easier for customers to pay directly from their M-PESA wallets instead of withdrawing cash first.
Viewed together, the announcements reveal a broader commercial strategy. The company is investing in physical infrastructure through additional network masts, improving the value customers receive from their existing data bundles, simplifying digital payments for everyday transactions and helping subscribers better manage their mobile data. Each initiative addresses a different part of the customer experience while supporting wider use of Safaricom’s digital services.
The approach also reflects changing expectations among consumers. Mobile connectivity is now essential for studying, working, running businesses, accessing government services and participating in the digital economy. Customers are looking for reliable coverage, affordable data and payment platforms that fit naturally into daily life. Meeting those expectations requires more than periodic promotional offers; it requires continued investment in both infrastructure and services.
The construction of another 300 masts is therefore about more than extending the network footprint. Additional sites improve coverage in underserved areas, increase network capacity in locations where traffic continues to rise and help maintain service quality as customers consume more data than ever before. At the same time, larger bundles encourage subscribers to make fuller use of digital services without changing their spending habits.
Fawzia Ali’s comments reinforce that the company is responding to how customers are actually using mobile internet. Students are accessing educational content online, creators are producing and uploading digital media, entrepreneurs are operating businesses from their smartphones and many workers now depend on mobile connectivity throughout the day. Those use cases require dependable networks and bundles that last longer than they once did.
Rather than treating affordability and infrastructure as separate priorities, Safaricom is advancing both at the same time. Larger data bundles create greater value for customers, while network expansion ensures that value can be delivered consistently across the country. As demand for connectivity continues to grow, the company’s latest investments position it to support the next stage of Kenya’s digital economy while improving the experience for millions of subscribers who rely on its network every day.
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