For the fifth consecutive year, Safaricom has been named Kenya’s No. 1 Employer and a Top Employer in Kenya and Africa for 2026 by the Top Employers Institute.
The global authority benchmarks organisations against international people-practice standards in six key areas including people strategy, work environment, talent acquisition, learning, diversity, equity & inclusion, and wellbeing efforts.
The announcement comes barely a month after Kenya’s most lucrative company received the Inclusive Employment & Workplace Award at the Gender Equality and Disability Inclusion Award.
The Inclusive award in December 2025 recognised the company’s progress in increasing the representation of women in leadership, achieving 3.9% representation of persons with disabilities across the workforce, and improving accessibility across products, services and workplaces.
Company CEO Peter Ndegwa said the Top Employer recognition affirms that investing in (our) people is fundamental to delivering our strategy.
“Empowered teams enable us to innovate responsibly, serve customers better, and bring our vision of becoming Africa’s leading purpose-led technology company to life,” said Peter Ndegwa.
Last year, Safaricom refreshed its employer value proposition to reflect how employees are supported to connect their roles to business outcomes, build future-relevant skills, and progress in their careers. This is complemented by an enabling workplace culture as well as world-class benefits such as an employee mortgage scheme, comprehensive medical cover, and access to in-house facilities like on-site clinics and gyms, all designed to support long-term financial, physical and mental wellbeing.
Top Employers Institute CEO Adrian Seligman commented: “This certification reflects Safaricom’s dedication to building an outstanding workplace that enables sustained business performance. Their strong alignment between people strategy and organisational goals, combined with a commitment to continuous improvement, demonstrates the impact of their practices.”
In 2025, the Top Employers Programme certified nearly 2,500 organisations in 131 countries and regions, covering more than 14 million employees globally.
Meanwhile, the Kenya Bankers Association (KBA) wants Parliament to reserve 5 percent of Safaricom shares (300m shares) worth about KES 10 billion be reserved for the Kenyan public. This follows the government’s decision to sell part of its stake in Kenya’s most lucrative company to Vodacom, amounting to KES 204.3 billion.
According to the bankers, the move will broaden ownership and strengthen participation in Kenya’s capital markets.
The government plans to sell six billion Safaricom shares to South Africa’s Vodacom Group at KES 34 per share, representing a 15 percent stake and a 23.6 per cent premium over the six-month volume-weighted average price as of December 2025.
Currently, the government holds a 35 percent stake in Safaricom, valued at between KES 280 billion and KES 300 billion. After the transaction, its shareholding will fall to 20 percent, while Vodacom’s stake will increase to 55 per cent, consolidating shares previously held by the government and Vodafone.
