By: Nana Appiah Acquaye
Vodacom
Group has reported robust results for the quarter ended 31 December 2025, with
Group revenue rising 11.0% to R43.9 billion and service revenue up 12.7%.
Financial services continued to drive growth, increasing 24.7% to R4.5 billion,
while mobile money platforms, including Safaricom, processed US$500.7 billion
in transactions over the past twelve months.
Group
CEO Shameel Joosub highlighted two strategic milestones during the quarter: the
agreement to acquire an additional 20% stake in Safaricom, subject to
regulatory approvals, and the final ICASA approval for the Maziv fibre
acquisition in South Africa. These moves aim to strengthen Vodacom’s presence
in high-growth East African markets and expand fibre access in underserved
communities.
The
Group’s international operations delivered strong results, with service revenue
up 12.6% to R8.8 billion, supported by network modernization, digital and
financial services expansion, and growing data demand. Egypt remained a
standout performer, posting 39.0% service revenue growth to R9.5 billion and a
59.4% increase in financial services revenue, driven by Vodafone Cash adoption
and rising active customer numbers.
In
South Africa, service revenue grew modestly by 1.4% to R16.4 billion, supported
by financial services, fixed connectivity, and IoT, despite a challenging
consumer environment and strong prior-year comparatives. Data traffic surged
32.3%, reflecting investments in network quality and strong engagement with
smart devices.
Joosub
emphasized Vodacom’s commitment to financial inclusion, network modernization,
and Vision 2030 objectives, noting that the Group is well positioned to capture
structural growth, expand pan-African fintech leadership, and deliver
sustainable value to customers and shareholders.
The
company remains focused on executing its medium-term targets, deepening digital
and financial inclusion, and leveraging strategic acquisitions to drive
connectivity and economic impact across Africa.
