Vodafone Kenya Limited has completed the acquisition of an additional 15 percent stake in Safaricom PLC from the Government of Kenya, marking the conclusion of a transaction first announced in December 2025.
In an announcement issued on June 30, Safaricom said the acquisition was completed on June 30, 2026, through a block trade on the Nairobi Securities Exchange after all conditions precedent had been fulfilled or, where applicable, waived.
“The shareholders of Safaricom PLC (“Safaricom”) are referred to Safaricom’s public announcement dated 04 December 2025 (the “Initial Public Announcement”) regarding the proposed acquisition by Vodafone Kenya Limited (“Vodafone Kenya”) of an additional 15% stake in Safaricom from the Government of the Republic of Kenya (“GoK”) (the “GoK Share Acquisition”) and. the concurrent internal reorganization of Vodafone Kenya (collectively, the “Proposed Transaction”),” read part of the statement.
Vodafone Kenya’s Stake Rises to 55% in Safaricom Ownership Shake-Up
Following the completion of the deal, Vodafone Kenya now holds a 55 percent stake in Safaricom, while the Government of Kenya owns 20 percent and public investors hold the remaining 25 percent.
Before vs. After
| Shareholder | Before Transaction | After Transaction |
|---|---|---|
| Vodafone Kenya Limited | 40% | 55% |
| Government of Kenya | 35% | 20% |
| General public investors | 25% | 25% |
Also Read: CMA Approves Sale of 15% Govt Stake in Safaricom to Vodafone: What Happens Next?
The company also confirmed that an internal reorganization of Vodafone Kenya has been finalized, resulting in Vodacom Group Limited becoming the sole owner of Vodafone Kenya.
The deal followed the Capital Markets Authority’s (CMA) decision to exempt Vodafone Kenya from the mandatory takeover offer requirement that would ordinarily be triggered by the increase in its stake.
Also Read: Court Rules on Lawyers’ Representation in Govt’s Sale of Safaricom Stake
Other Shareholding Parties
Safaricom’s public investors will continue to hold a 25 percent stake in the company following the completion of Vodafone Kenya’s acquisition.
The public shareholding includes institutional and retail investors whose holdings are largely held through nominee accounts.
As of March 2025, some of the largest nominee shareholders included Standard Chartered Kenya Nominees Ltd, Kenya Commercial Bank Nominees Limited and Stanbic Nominees Limited, which hold shares on behalf of multiple underlying investors.
| Rank | Shareholder | Shares Held |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Standard Chartered Kenya Nominees Ltd (A/C KE004667) | 380,658,806 |
| 2 | Kenya Commercial Bank Nominees Limited (A/C 1019D) | 365,227,900 |
| 3 | Kenya Commercial Bank Nominees Limited (A/C 915B) | 345,582,886 |
| 4 | Stanbic Nominees Limited (A/C NR7522171) | 245,596,200 |
| 5 | Stanbic Nominees Limited (A/C NR1030824) | 224,513,900 |
| 6 | Standard Chartered Nominees (Resident) (A/C KE11401) | 201,930,759 |
| 7 | Stanbic Nominees Limited (A/C R6631578) | 188,160,853 |
| 8 | Standard Chartered Nominees (Resident) (A/C KE11443) | 163,458,207 |
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