The Deal: Safaricom is offering a 25% discount on new fibre connections for businesses in fibre-ready buildings, effective for the next two months.
– The deal aims to boost connectivity for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), providing “the fastest, most reliable internet that matches their ambitions,” per Frankline Okata, acting chief enterprise business officer at Safaricom.
Why it matters: Kenya’s SME sector is a powerhouse for economic growth but faces steep hurdles, more than 70% of small businesses flop within three years, often due to cash flow crunches or market access woes, according to Kenya National Bureau of Statistics data.
– Safaricom’s move is part of a broader push to arm entrepreneurs with tools like affordable digitization, finance, and market links to beat those odds.
How it unfolded: The announcement dropped at the Nairobi leg of the Grow with Safaricom Business forum, themed “Fuelling Financial Growth Through Innovation.”
– The event drew a crowd of Nairobi-based SMEs eager to innovate and navigate economic shifts.
– Okata highlighted new business credit solutions that tap transaction history and real-time performance for flexible, tailored loans: “These challenges present an opportunity for collaboration and growth.”
The big picture: Safaricom’s forums, both in-person and virtual, have already touched thousands of entrepreneurs nationwide, focusing on sustainable acceleration through tech and finance.
Final Word: In a tough landscape for Kenyan startups, discounts like this could be the connectivity lifeline that keeps more businesses afloat and thriving.
