Vodafone to gain control of and fully consolidate Safaricom

Core Insights - Vodafone Group's African subsidiary, Vodacom, is set to acquire a 20% stake in Safaricom Plc, Kenya's leading telecom operator, increasing its ownership to 55% [1][8] - The acquisition involves purchasing 15% from the Government of Kenya for €1.36 billion (KES 204 billion) and 5% from Vodafone for €0.45 billion (KES 68 billion) [1][4] - The acquisition is expected to close in the first quarter of 2026, pending regulatory approvals in Kenya, South Africa, and Ethiopia [5][6] Transaction Rationale - The acquisition allows Vodafone and Vodacom to gain controlling ownership of a successful telecom and financial services business in Africa [3] Company Overview - Safaricom, listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange, has a market capitalization of €7.7 billion and is the largest telecom company in Kenya [4] - The company has a significant portfolio, including a majority shareholding in Safaricom Ethiopia and the M-Pesa fintech platform, which has over 100 million daily transactions and 38 million customers in Kenya [4] - For the six months ending September 30, 2025, Safaricom's service revenue in Kenya increased by 9.3%, driven by a 14% growth in M-Pesa revenue [4]