As 2025 draws to a close, I find myself deeply grateful. This year marked Safaricom’s 25th anniversary—a Silver Jubilee that represents two and a half decades of partnership with the Kenyan people. At the heart of that journey sits M-PESA, a platform that has grown to become part of the social and economic fabric of our nation.

In 2025, M-PESA turned 18—a true coming-of-age moment. This milestone was less about speed and scale, and more about resilience, security, and ecosystem strength. Through our Fintech 2.0 investments, we continued to modernise the infrastructure that underpins M-PESA—building a platform that is scalable, secure, and resilient enough to support 37.9 million active customers, over 2 million businesses, and a growing partner ecosystem.

It is this collective excellence that saw M-PESA and our leadership recognised with several prestigious awards this year. We are honored to have been named InsurTech of the Year at the African Insurance Awards, and to receive the Nganya Awards for Best Payments, the Ecommerce Growth Partner Award by Visa, and the Most Innovative Partner at the Sanlam Awards. 

On a personal and professional level, I am humbled to be recognized among the Business Leaders Redefining Excellence in 2025 by CIO Today and the Top 25 Most Impactful C-Suite Executives Leading Business with an Edge 2025 by Business Monthly East Africa Edition.

At the core of this journey is our ecosystem—and the teams that power it. Across Safaricom and M-PESA, our people have been at the heart of this transformation: reimagining platforms, strengthening governance, and delivering with purpose. Daraja 3.0 continues to power our developer community, enabling M-PESA capabilities to be embedded seamlessly into everyday life.

From Inclusion to Financial Health & Wealth

2025 was about translating access into outcomes. Through Ziidi, we democratised investing—enabling customers to grow wealth from as little as KES 100. For entrepreneurs, we expanded access to working capital through Business Till Loans, supporting a merchant base that has grown to 2.4 million, while a revamped Pochi allows merchants to manage and invest directly from their wallets.

Building Resilience Through Insurance

Growth must be protected. We strengthened our insurance propositions to safeguard livelihoods through Tunza Mapato, which acts as a powerful safety net for the informal sector by protecting income for up to 30 days, and Tunza Simu, which makes device protection simple and affordable. By simplifying insurance, we ensure that short-term shocks do not become long-term financial setbacks.

Championing Community, Spirit, and Talent

Beyond finance, M-PESA remained committed to the Kenyan spirit. We proudly stood behind our national rugby teams—the Shujaa and the Lionesses—and invested in youth development through the Junior NBA basketball program, combining skills development with financial literacy. These initiatives reflect the values that have guided us for 25 years: resilience, teamwork, and excellence.

None of this is possible without the people who bring M-PESA to life every day. I extend my heartfelt thanks to our Safaricom and M-PESA teams, our vast network of agents and dealers, our developers, and our technology partners. To our banks, insurers, regulators, and merchants: thank you for co-creating with us.

As we step into the next chapter, M-PESA remains committed to building a platform nation—one that enables inclusion, resilience, growth, and opportunity for all.

By Safaricom Chief Financial Services Officer Esther Masese Waititu.