Safaricom has handed shareholders an early win in 2026, announcing a bigger interim dividend after posting one of its strongest half-year performances in recent years.
The telecoms firm said its board approved an interim dividend of Ksh 0.85 per share for the financial year ending March 31, 2026. The decision was made at a board meeting held on February 4, marking a notable jump from last year’s interim payout of KSh 0.55.
In a regulatory notice dated February 5, Safaricom said that investors listed in its register at the close of business on February 25 will be eligible for the dividend. Payments are expected to be made on or around March 31.
“The Board of Safaricom PLC is pleased to announce that at its meeting held on 4th February 2026, it was resolved to approve the payment of an interim dividend of KShs. 0.85 per ordinary share for the year ending 31st March 2026,” the company said.
“The interim dividend will be payable to shareholders on the Register of Members as at the close of business on 25th February 2026 and will be paid on or about 31st March 2026,” the statement added.
The notice, signed by Company Secretary Linda Wambani, was issued in line with the Capital Markets Act and Nairobi Securities Exchange listing rules. The Capital Markets Authority approved its publication but said it does not verify the accuracy of the information.
The higher payout reflects a sharp improvement in Safaricom’s earnings during the first half of the 2025/26 financial year. Results released in November showed strong growth across the business, particularly in mobile money, data and voice services.
Service revenue rose by just over 11 per cent to KSh 200 billion, while net profit jumped by more than 50 per cent year-on-year. The company attributed the growth to higher customer usage, increased digital transactions and tighter control of operating costs.
M-Pesa remained the backbone of Safaricom’s performance, with transaction values climbing as digital payments continued to replace cash for daily spending, savings and transfers.
The interim dividend is the highest the company has declared in several years and signals confidence in its cash position and outlook. In previous financial years, Safaricom paid interim dividends of KSh 0.55 in both 2024 and 2025, and KSh 0.58 in 2023.
With close to 40 billion shares outstanding, the payout is expected to cost the company more than KSh 34 billion, making it one of the largest interim dividend distributions on the Nairobi Securities Exchange.
The announcement comes amid ongoing debate over the government’s plan to reduce its stake in Safaricom through a proposed sale to Vodacom.
The move, which is still under parliamentary and regulatory review, has kept investor attention firmly on the telco’s financial health and long-term strategy.
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