Telecommunication giant, Safaricom reduced its workforce during the financial year ended March 31, 2026, even as it recorded gains in gender diversity, disability inclusion and employee engagement, according to its latest Annual Report.
The report shows the Safaricom Group had 6,616 employees at the end of the financial year, down from 6,777 in the previous year.
Women accounted for 49.5 per cent of the company’s workforce in Kenya, up slightly from 49 per cent in FY2025, bringing the telecommunications giant closer to achieving gender parity.
The proportion of employees with disabilities in 2026 also increased to 3.9 per cent, compared to 3.6 per cent in the previous financial year.
However, the proportion of women in leadership positions declined to 43.9 per cent from 45 per cent a year earlier.
Similarly, women in technology roles accounted for 25.9 per cent of the workforce, down from 27.1 per cent in FY2025.
“Diversity, equity and inclusion enable stronger decision-making, deeper talent pools, greater innovation and broader access to opportunity,” read the report in parts.
“How we strengthen inclusion across our employee lifecycle is with a focus on gender representation, disability inclusion and equal access to opportunities.”
Safaricom Employee Engagement and Workplace Diversity
Safaricom said it continued to leverage its human capital to strengthen customer relationships through meaningful connections, tailored experiences, and personalized services, while investing in initiatives to improve employee welfare.
The company said it maintained fair and transparent pay and benefits and enhanced its Employee Value Proposition (EVP) to attract, retain and motivate talent in an increasingly competitive digital economy.
Employee engagement also improved during the year, with the company’s Employee Engagement Index rising to 87 per cent, up from 85 per cent in FY2025.
Safaricom said it also achieved Agile Level 3 maturity and remains on track to build a future-fit operational structure and organizational culture that support its long-term growth ambitions.
The company noted that it supported 149,834 developers through its digital platforms during the year, up from 106,000 in the previous financial year, as part of efforts to accelerate Kenya’s digital economy.
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Safety and Employee Development
Regarding workplace safety, the company reported one work-related fatality, an improvement from four in FY2025.
The report also highlighted continued investment in employee learning and development, noting a 120 per cent increase in employee training investment compared to the previous year.
During the reporting period, Safaricom said it focused on digital leadership upskilling and reskilling programmes to equip employees with skills needed in an increasingly technology-driven business environment.
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FY2027 Strategy
Looking ahead, Safaricom said its FY2027 people strategy will focus on building a growth-oriented organisation capable of delivering innovative, converged technology solutions.
Under its “Gearing for Growth” transformation programme, the company plans to reshape its organisational structure, governance and operating model to strengthen its commercial focus, accelerate innovation and enhance agility across the business.
The programme also aims to cultivate an innovation-centred culture supported by a reward and recognition framework designed to encourage employee development and disciplined execution.
Safaricom further said it will deepen technology, leadership and commercial capabilities by expanding artificial intelligence (AI) training, introducing specialized academies for technical and commercial skills, and strengthening leadership development programmes.
At the same time, the company also plans to create an AI-first digital workplace by embedding zero-harm safety standards across its operations and partner ecosystem while expanding AI-enabled workplace safety practices and employee well-being initiatives.
In addition, Safaricom intends to enhance employees’ digital experience by operationalizing a digital-first Group people services hub, implementing the second phase of its benefit hyper-personalization strategy and strengthening support for its Ethiopia operations and subsidiaries.
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