Airtel Africa Completes Starlink Mobile Tests in Kenya, Awaits Regulatory Clearance for Commercial Launch
Airtel Africa and SpaceX have completed field tests of Starlink Mobile's direct-to-cell technology in Kenya, connecting standard 4G smartphones to low-Earth orbit satellites in areas with no terrestrial signal. Tests confirmed successful WhatsApp, maps, and Airtel Money transactions without hardware changes. Airtel Africa, which covers 91% of Kenya's population terrestrially, is the first African operator to offer the service. A commercial launch depends on regulatory approvals from Kenya's Communications Authority and 13 other national regulators across Airtel Africa's markets.
M-Pesa to Reduce Personal Information Shared During "Send Money' Transactions
Safaricom will roll out enhanced data minimization on M-Pesa from 24 March 2026, reducing visible customer names and masking phone numbers in Send Money transactions while retaining essential transaction details.
M-Pesa Expands Into Tax Payments in Ethiopia With Amhara Deal
M-Pesa is moving deeper into Ethiopia’s public-sector payments system after signing an agreement that will allow taxpayers in the Amhara region to settle tax obligationsOver 50% Of Kenya’s Ride-Hailing Drivers Now Rely on It as Primary Source of Income - Bolt/IPSOS Study
A study by ride-hailing app Bolt, in collaboration with Ipsos, shows that 53% of ride-hailing drivers in Kenya now rely on the platforms as their main source of income.Airtel Uganda Profit Surges 41%, Data Revenue Surpass Voice
Airtel Uganda reported a 41.1% increase in profit after tax to Ushs 446.9 Bn for the year ended 31 December 2025. Revenue grew 13.3% to Ushs 2,249.7 Bn as data revenue crossed Ushs 1.1 Tn, overtaking voice for the first time to contribute 49.3% of service revenues. EBITDA margins expanded 490 bps to 54.9%, reversing a two-year compression, driven by near-flat 2.0% operating cost growth. The board declared total dividends of Ushs 11.15 per share, up 41.6%, equivalent to 99.8% of earnings. Shares trade around Ushs 80, below the Ushs 100 IPO price, ahead of a November 2026 secondary offer deadline.MTN Fintech Platform Drives Surge in Digital Payments as Transactions Top US$ 500 Billion
MTN Group has reported a sharp expansion in its financial technology platform in 2025, with digital payments surging as more customers adopted advanced mobile money and fintech servicesOne-off Tax Settlement Clouds MTN Uganda's Strongest Operating Year Since Listing
MTN Uganda reported full-year 2025 service revenue of USh 3.6 trillion, up 13.4%, driven by a 28.8% surge in data revenue to USh 1.0 trillion and 17.3% fintech growth to USh 1.1 trillion. EBITDA rose 17.0% to USh 1.9 trillion, expanding the margin to 53.8%. Reported profit after tax grew 5.8% to USh 679 billion after absorbing a one-off USh 110.9 billion transfer pricing settlement with the Uganda Revenue Authority. Adjusted net profit rose 23.1% to USh 790 billion. The board declared a total dividend of USh 28.75 per share, up 27.2%.Equity’s Mwangi Says Banks Must Adapt as Fintech Redefines Finance
Banks need to reinvent themselves around digital infrastructure, data and partnerships or risk losing relevance as financial services evolve beyond traditional banking models,Synkron Opens Industrial Automation Training Center in Nairobi
Tech Startup Intron Launches New Voice AI Service that Supports 57 African Languages
Intron, a specialised technology company, has launched the newest version of its flagship AI voice model, “Sahara v2”, which can now understand over 500 distinct African accents, covering up to 57 languagesSafaricom's M-PESA Crosses 40 Million Users in Kenya
Safaricom said M-PESA has reached 40 million monthly active customers in Kenya, marking 19 years since the mobile money platform launched on 6 March 2007.Kenya Scales Back ICT Budget by 25% as Fiscal Constraints Bite
Rural communities in Kenya are set to face slower digital access after the government cut funding for its Information, Communication Technology and Digital Economy initiatives by 25%
