Airtel aggressively planning network growth and mobile financial services as part of their competitive strategy against Safaricom
In the competitive Kenyan telecom market, Airtel Kenya is making strides to challenge market leader Safaricom's dominance. Airtel's current growth strategy focuses on network expansion and scaling its mobile money services.
Airtel plans to expand its network of 4,300 mobile-phone towers by about one-third over the next three years, reaching underserved rural areas and improving coverage. The company aims to double its network of 120,000 mobile money agents within two years, enhancing access to deposits and withdrawals in more locations.
To boost high-speed internet accessibility, Airtel is targeting price-sensitive customers and areas where Safaricom’s fiber and services are limited. The company plans to provide budget-friendly 5G plans and equipment with features like built-in battery backup to ensure connectivity during power outages, contrasting Safaricom’s premium pricing models.
This multi-faceted approach has yielded results. Airtel Kenya grew its subscriber base rapidly, adding 3 million SIM cards in early 2025, crossing 24 million total subscribers—outpacing Safaricom’s subscriber growth during that period. Airtel secured a two-year extension of its operating licence, allowing continued network investments despite previous regulatory challenges.
Financially, Airtel Africa’s broader strategy includes focusing on digitization, simplifying customer experience, and leveraging technology like AI-powered tools for trust and safety—critical for competing in Kenya’s evolving market.
In sum, Airtel Kenya plans to compete with Safaricom by expanding network coverage especially in rural and underserved areas, aggressively growing its affordable mobile money ecosystem, and providing competitively priced high-speed internet with innovative features—thereby targeting customers that Safaricom may underserve or price out.
Meanwhile, global economic developments continue to shape the landscape. In the US, President Donald Trump announced an additional 25% tariff on India over its purchase of Russian oil, and threatened to impose 100% tariffs on imported semiconductors and potentially levies on pharmaceutical products that could reach 250%. These tariffs have pushed the effective US tariff rate to its highest level since World War II.
Elsewhere, the Bank of England marginally raised its growth forecast for the year to 1.25%, while inflation remains high, unemployment rose last quarter, and GDP shrank in April and May in the UK. In France, the prime minister described a "catastrophe on an unprecedented scale" due to wildfires, and more than 500 wildfires are burning out of control in Canada.
In other news, Apple will invest an additional $100 billion in US manufacturing, and the US has endorsed laws in El Salvador that will allow President Nayib Bukele to remain in power indefinitely. The Israeli government is considering a plan to take control of Gaza City, but has not explicitly supported Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s intention to control the entire enclave, sparking concerns and warnings from several Israeli ministers and the military chief.
In Asia, communities are grappling with extreme weather as climate change makes monsoon season more erratic, with around 30 million people facing acute hunger in Nigeria, and the UN’s food agency will shut half its clinics in northern Nigeria due to a funding crisis.
Amid these global challenges, Airtel Kenya's growth strategy remains focused on its ambitious plans to challenge Safaricom's dominance in the Kenyan telecom market.
Airtel Kenya, as part of its global financial strategy, aims to utilize technology advancements, such as AI, to enhance customer experience and trust within the evolving Kenyan market. In the pursuit of education and self-development, Airtel is also planning to introduce technology-based investment opportunities for its customers, potentially creating a new avenue for local individuals to participate in business ventures. With sports partnerships, Airtel seeks to further engage with its diverse customer base, potentially offering exclusive rewards and experiences to enhance overall customer loyalty and satisfaction.
