Douglas Mwiti 
Cynthia Kropac, Safaricom’s Chief Enterprise Business Officer
Safaricom has announced a $500 million (KSh66 billion) investment agenda to construct and expand artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure throughout East Africa in the next three years, in a bid to transform the digital economy in the region.
The announcement which was made during a keynote address at the Connected Africa Summit 2025 in Diani, Kwale County, Kenya, underscored Africa’s potential to carve out its own path in the ever-busy global AI space.
Cynthia Kropac, Safaricom’s Chief Enterprise Business Officer, said the investment will drive innovation and significantly improve productivity in key sectors of the economy.
“This investment is not mere traditional connectivity.It will unlock advanced digital services, spur innovation, and place East Africa in the picture as a genuine digital economy,” Kropac said.
She emphasised that Africa must move beyond being a passive consumer of AI technologies developed in the West and Asia, instead creating systems that reflect the continent’s unique languages, data, and socio-economic realities.
Safaricom has already made an excellent beginning by imparting AI fundamentals to 5,000 of its employees to initiate its drive to create a locally driven, intelligent economy.
The strategic investment will focus on infrastructure development, partnerships with local and global technology partners, as well as upskilling initiatives in an effort to create talent and drive the adoption of AI across healthcare, agriculture, education, and finance.
As part of its five-year plan, Safaricom aims to deliver smart, seamless, and inclusive digital experiences leveraging Africa’s growing demand for technology to drive regional digitalization.
In addition, Safaricom is positioning itself at the forefront of the AI revolution in East Africa, paving the way towards an African-led future enabled by technology.
