Safaricom is evolving into what it now describes as a purpose-led technology company with a clear ambition to lead Africa’s digital transformation by 2030.
Part of this shift is the focus on artificial intelligence, intelligent infrastructure and ecosystem building. This was recently highlighted at Safaricom Decode 4.0.
According to Safaricom’s Group Chief Technology Officer James Maitai, the company’s long-term strategy is closely tied to building the foundations of a modern digital economy.
“Decode sits at the heart of Safaricom’s vision to become Africa’s leading purpose-led technology company by 2030.”
The platform is part of a broader effort to bring together developers, innovators, academia and policymakers to shape what an AI-powered digital future could look like in Kenya and beyond.
This matchesSafaricom’s g focus on infrastructure, data and intelligent systems as the building blocks of future growth.
Safaricom’s strength has always been its network. This network is now evolving into something far more dynamic.
Modern network planning and optimisation, as described by Maitai, is no longer static. Instead, it is powered by real-time data and increasingly by AI systems that can predict and respond to network demand.
“Instead of static planning, we now use dynamic data models, agentic AI, and predictive analytics to optimise capacity, improve resilience and ensure exceptional quality of service.”
Safaricom is moving toward a network that is able to predict issues before they happen, adjust itself in real time and improve performance without manual intervention.
This is a must in a world where digital services are becoming more demanding and time-sensitive.
The rise of data-heavy applications has made network performance a key differentiator. Safaricom is investing heavily in 5G and AI-driven infrastructure to support these use cases.
According to Maitai,
“We are embedding AI on our network fabric to power Kenya’s next industrial leap.”
This is about enabling entirely new categories of innovation such fintech to immersive digital experiences. Some of these include mobile money platforms like M-PESA that rely on instant transaction processing. Gaming and streaming platforms also depend on low latency. Smart devices and IoT systems also require consistent and reliable connectivity,
Safaricom is also focusing on the people building on top of it. The company is using initiatives like Code Labs, Builder Labs and developer-focused sessions to give local talent acess to tools, mentorship and hands-on experience.
Events like Safaricom Decode that bring together developers, startups, industry leaders and policymakers create space where collaboration can happen. These platforms alsoact as the right place where ideas can be tested and new solutions can emerge.
Maitai added on this saying,
Decode brings together the ecosystem to co-create an AI-powered digital economy.
Combining infrastructure, AI, developer ecosystems and platforms like Decode create the perfect foundation on a modern connected economy. And as Maitai suggests, the real goal is not just connectivity:
It’s about turning connectivity into an engine for innovation.
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Also Read: Safaricom to Unveil My OneApp, Merging M-PESA and MySafaricom Apps