Kenya Central Bank greenlights $1.6bn Safaricom stake

The announcement, made in a public notice on Tuesday, is a key milestone in a year-long regulatory dispute over digital privacy and the harvesting of iris scans for cryptocurrency.

Kenya crossed the US$5 billion remittance milestone in 2025, cementing diaspora inflows as its most reliable source of foreign exchange. But Central Bank data shows growth slowed sharply, reflecting pressure in key labour markets even as fintech platforms keep digital transfers resilient.

As Parliament scrutinises the proposed Safaricom stake sale, concerns are mounting over valuation transparency, data sovereignty, and the state’s shrinking influence should Vodacom’s ownership rise to a controlling 55 percent.

Spacecoin has secured a licence to launch satellite broadband in Kenya, challenging Starlink and signalling intensifying competition in Africa’s satellite internet market.

The upgrades come as SIM swap scams are becoming a serious security threat globally, affecting an estimated 25% of mobile subscribers in countries such as Kenya.

IShowSpeed has smashed YouTube records in Kenya, gaining over 360 000 subscribers in a single day as his Africa tour turns the continent into a live digital showcase watched by millions worldwide.

The measure is intended to enhance national cyber security and protect highly sensitive digital systems crucial to Kenya's digital economy.

New data shows that Kenyan consumers are abandoning traditional websites in favour of WhatsApp and mobile apps, as mobile money platforms like M-Pesa reshape how online shopping is done across the country.

The Central Bank said the new licensees had been thoroughly evaluated for their business strategies, governance structures, and consumer protection systems.

The next 2026 review is set to be another chapter in a decade-long battle in which Kenyan telecoms have traded legal blows, lobbied fiercely, and accused each other of economic sabotage.

The opening of K-Elec’s Kenya factory marks a milestone in East Africa’s device-assembly ecosystem, creating jobs, driving technology transfer, and boosting industrial capacity.

Fresh intelligence shows cyber-criminals are intensifying attacks on SACCO digital platforms in late-night hours ahead of festive holidays, prompting SASRA to direct cooperatives to tighten 24/7 monitoring.