When Safaricom was named Kenya’s number one employer and a Top Employer in Africa for 2026 by the Top Employers Institute, the recognition went beyond corporate prestige. It offered a window into how people-centred leadership has become a core business strategy for one of Africa’s most influential technology companies.
The certification, awarded by the Netherlands-based Top Employers Institute, benchmarks organisations against international standards in people practices. Safaricom’s evaluation covered six critical areas: people strategy, work environment, talent acquisition, learning and development, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), and employee well-being. For the fifth consecutive year, the Kenyan telecommunications giant emerged not just compliant, but exemplary.
According to Top Employers Institute CEO Adrian Seligman, Safaricom’s strength lies in the deliberate alignment between organisational goals and people strategy. “Their commitment to creating an exceptional workplace that supports long-term business performance is evident,” he said, noting the company’s emphasis on continuous improvement.
This alignment is not accidental. In an industry defined by rapid technological change, intense competition and evolving customer expectations, Safaricom has increasingly positioned its workforce as a strategic asset rather than a cost centre. That philosophy has delivered tangible results — both internally and on the balance sheet.
Safaricom chief executive officer Peter Ndegwa has been explicit about the link between empowered employees and business performance. “Investing in our people is fundamental to delivering our strategy,” he said after the certification announcement. “Empowered teams enable us to innovate responsibly, serve customers better, and bring our vision of becoming Africa’s leading purpose-led technology company to life.”
Globally, the Top Employers Programme certified nearly 2,500 organisations across 131 countries and regions in 2025, representing more than 14 million employees. Safaricom’s inclusion places it among a relatively small group of African companies competing at the highest international standards of workplace excellence.
At the centre of Safaricom’s people strategy is a refreshed employer value proposition, updated in 2025. The revision reflects a clear focus on future-readiness — supporting employees to develop digital and leadership skills, grow their careers and understand how their roles connect to wider business objectives. This approach mirrors global labour trends identified by organisations such as the World Economic Forum, which estimates that nearly half of all employees worldwide will require reskilling by 2027 due to technological disruption.
Beyond skills development, Safaricom has invested heavily in employee well-being. The company offers benefits that go beyond standard corporate packages in Kenya, including a mortgage programme, comprehensive medical cover, and access to on-site clinics and gyms. These benefits are designed to support long-term financial, physical and mental wellness — areas increasingly recognised as critical to productivity and retention.
In Kenya’s corporate landscape, where employee turnover and burnout remain persistent challenges, such investments have become a competitive differentiator. According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, the services sector — including telecommunications — employs millions but faces rising pressure to attract and retain skilled professionals amid global talent mobility.
Safaricom’s commitment to inclusion has also gained international recognition. In December 2025, the company received the Inclusive Employment & Workplace Award at the Gender Equality and Disability Inclusion Awards. The recognition followed notable progress in increasing the proportion of women in leadership roles and achieving a workforce composition in which 3.9 per cent of employees are persons with disabilities. The company has also worked to improve accessibility across its workplaces, products and services.
These efforts reflect broader policy conversations in Kenya and across Africa, where governments and businesses are under pressure to make workplaces more representative and accessible. The International Labour Organization has consistently linked inclusive employment to higher innovation, stronger financial performance and improved organisational resilience.
Safaricom’s people-first strategy has unfolded alongside impressive financial performance. Under Ndegwa’s leadership, the telco has consolidated its dominance in Kenya’s telecommunications and fintech sectors. In the first half of the 2025/2026 financial year, the company reported a profit of KSh 42.8 billion, underscoring its role as one of the country’s most profitable firms.
The growth of M-Pesa remains central to this success. During the same period, Safaricom added 2.1 million M-Pesa customers, with the mobile money platform’s revenue surging by 52 per cent. Public data from the Central Bank of Kenya shows that mobile money transactions now exceed KSh 6 trillion annually, highlighting M-Pesa’s central role in the national economy.
Safaricom’s strong performance mirrors a broader trend in Kenya’s financial and technology sectors, where institutions such as Equity Group and Kenya Commercial Bank have also reported robust earnings. Analysts increasingly point to organisational culture and leadership stability as key drivers of sustained growth in these firms.
For Safaricom, the Top Employer certification is not an endpoint but a benchmark. The company operates in a market facing rapid digital transformation, regulatory scrutiny and rising consumer expectations. Maintaining its employer brand will require constant adaptation, particularly as younger employees prioritise purpose, flexibility and mental well-being alongside pay.
Still, the company’s approach offers a compelling case study for African corporates navigating similar pressures. By treating people strategy as business strategy, Safaricom has demonstrated that investing in employees can deliver dividends far beyond the workplace. As African economies seek to compete globally while addressing unemployment, skills gaps and inequality, Safaricom’s model suggests that sustainable success may depend as much on how companies treat their people as on the products they sell.
