All M-PESA articles – Page 4
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Enterprise (B2B)
Safaricom upping B2B ante with new marketplace
Kenyan operator looking to connect better with small business requirements. Move furthers Safaricom’s “fintech-anchored” digital growth strategy.
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Strategy & Change
Ethiopian mobile: Tigray overshadows Safaricom-Voda market entry
Escalating conflict and humanitarian crisis spreads in northern region. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed criticised for Tigray response, but undeterred on reform agenda and courting private investment. What is Safaricom-led OpCo getting into? Unrest brews challenging conditions, as US sanctions threaten OpCo funding. Vodafone keeps a low profile in Ethiopian ...
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Venturing & Investments
African energy startup borrows $100m for scale-out plan
Safaricom partner Circle Gas secures nine-figure loan to drive expansion in African (and potentially Asian) markets. Targets include Nigeria and neighbouring markets of Kenya and Tanzania, where startup is already present. Capital needed for investment-heavy distribution platform.
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People
Vodacom Tanzania names Mdlalose CEO
Former Vodacom SA CFO takes the reins from Madrid-bound Hendi. Well-travelled Mdlalose looks to settle into Tanzanian challenge.
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Premium
Vodafone people moves: Technology splits and board changes
Group board changes include Ahuja’s departure. Vodafone networks exec and TIP Chair Tenorio picks up Lime Micro chairmanship. Vodafone Spain continues leadership overhaul in Consumer, Enterprise, and Technology divisions.
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Public Affairs
Safaricom split proposal all but quashed
Overwhelming majority of MPs choose not to engage in debate over Kenyan operator’s future structure. Controversial proposal does little to revive ghosts of the past.
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Strategy & Change
Safaricom looks closer to Ethiopian fintech expansion
Newly established Ethiopian OpCo reportedly given green-light to offer fintech service by market regulator. But incumbent rival already gifted year-long head start in m-money services realm.
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Strategy & Change
Elsewhere in Vodafone Africa: Safaricom’s tax hike response
Safaricom responds to excise tax hike; M-PESA management rejig reaches Lesotho; change at top of Xlink.
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People
Vodafone’s Ethiopian OpCo gets a leader
Anwar Soussa takes job as first MD of as-yet-unnamed OpCo. Industry veteran brings M-PESA experience. EOC plans and ownership remain vague.
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Products & Services
Safaricom, Vodacom launch m-money Super Apps
Safaricom’s m-payment and remittance service leaps into the digital services realm with an experience-focused facelift. “Super App”- tag attached to revamped M-PESA, with new functionality showing resemblances with Vodacom–Alipay’s ‘app-within-an-app’ concept. Vodacom’s Super App now onboarding partners.
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Suppliers & SCM
Ericsson targets African gains on back of Vodafone reorg
Swedish vendor has been punching below weight within Vodafone’s African operations. Tech 2025 organisational changes and geopolitical flux could create openings to grow regional account.
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Strategy & Change
Ethiopia: Kenyan president gets behind Safaricom entry
President Kenyatta urges Ethiopia to open up m-money market. Safaricom reveals planned ownership structure of future Opco, with Vodafone set to play a very limited role.
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Premium
Elsewhere in Africa: Vodacom pairs with Microsoft
Vodacom pairs with Microsoft for Mozambique SMEs; Safaricom adds digital menus to M-PESA ecosystem.
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Premium
Q4 FY20–21: Vodacom turns to M&A to turbo-charge change
Fibre expansion back on as Vodacom steps up diversification plans. Operator negotiating potential strategic partnerships across infrastructure assets, as it develops own take on Vodafone’s leaner and lighter TechCo vision. South African group-within-a-group being offered greater freedom by Vodafone than increasingly tightly-controlled businesses in Europe. One question, as it ...
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Premium
Vodafone people moves: Group names Network Operations lead
Group Networks leadership filled out with Clavero taking operations remit from Europe-bound Yildizi; El Sayed picks up European engineering lead. Top-level changes in EU Cluster OpCos. M-PESA Africa leadership firmed up.
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Products & Services
Vodacom eyeing M-PESA’s biggest money transfer yet?
M-commerce froth suggests possible eight-figure valuation for M-PESA. High-profile friends could add further appeal. Joosub showing signs of monetisation interest, possible temptation.
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Products & Services
Joosub hints at pan-African ambitions for Vodacom’s Super App
Vodacom CEO Shameel Joosub says Alipay-backed “Super App” could “transform the continent”. Super App’s enterprise offering will build on current VodaTrade and VodaPay functionality, with Vodacom targeting SMEs in its expanding financial services goals.
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Partnerships & Alliances
Vodacom Tanzania fine-tuned for Mdundo music
Co-developed “proof of concept” lays groundwork for VdT digital media set expansion. Group enabling ambitious Kenya-based startup to broaden horizons in Africa.
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Network & Infrastructure
Safaricom puts 5G on ice
Kenyan operator plans to focus on building its 4G business for now. Safaricom’s previous reliance on Huawei comes under spotlight amid ongoing US trade talks.
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Strategy & Change
Safaricom still keen on Ethiopia entry
Safaricom blocked from operating fintech service in Ethiopia, potentially making case for entry shakier, but operator reaffirms Ethiopian commitment and intention to enter bidding war. ECA offers spectrum auction update, amid escalating regional conflict.