Airtel Beats Safaricom After Hitting 24 Million Customers in Kenya

Airtel Kenya has hit a major milestone, surpassing 24 million active customers by the end of March 2025, marking one of the biggest gains in Kenya’s highly competitive telco market.

The telco added 3.01 million new SIM card users in the first quarter alone, outpacing Safaricom, which grew by 1.7 million customers over the same period, according to the latest Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) report.

“This Is Just the Beginning”  Airtel Kenya MD

Airtel Kenya Managing Director Ashish Malhotra thanked customers for their loyalty, calling the milestone part of a much bigger journey.

“We are deeply humbled by the support of over 24 million customers who continue to believe in us. This is not the destination; it’s part of a longer journey. We remain committed to Kenya, with massive investments to enrich lives and drive progress,” Malhotra said in a statement.

Airtel Money Gains Ground

Notably, Airtel Money has emerged as a strong challenger to Safaricom’s M-Pesa. Kenya’s mobile money subscriber base grew by 4.1% to hit 42.3 million between October and December 2024.

Airtel Money grew its market share to 9.1%—its highest ever while Safaricom’s share dropped to 63.3%, continuing a downward trend from 65.3% in December 2024 and 65.7% in September 2024.

Safaricom Still Leads But Faces Pressure

Despite Airtel’s growth, Safaricom remains the dominant player, closing the quarter with 48.2 million active SIM cards, up from 46.6 million in December 2024, a 3.6% increase.

However, the steady decline in market share shows increasing competition from Airtel and other smaller players like Telkom Kenya.

Investments in Network and Reach

Malhotra noted that Airtel continues to invest heavily in expanding its network infrastructure, especially in underserved regions like Mandera, Wajir, and Garissa. Recent upgrades to Airtel Money’s platform have also helped attract new users.

“With our ‘Na Bado Tunagrow’ campaign, we’re reinforcing our commitment to nationwide growth and service excellence,” Malhotra added.

Report Shows Airtel’s Rapid Growth

The CA report revealed Airtel closed Q1 with 24.5 million active SIM cards, up from 21.5 million in December 2024 a 13.95% growth in just three months. Airtel Money also saw an increase from 7.6% to 8.9% market share in the same period.

With Kenyans seeking affordable data and mobile money services, Airtel’s aggressive expansion and competitive pricing seem to be paying off.

For more details on market performance, visit the Communications Authority of Kenya website.