Vodacom closes 2025 with major deals and bold plans for the future. Pictures Credits: iStock
By Aisha Zardad
South Africa – Vodacom is ending 2025 with growing confidence, following a year marked by major deals, network expansion and strategic moves that position the telecoms giant for its next phase of growth across Africa.
Among the company’s standout milestones were the conclusion of a major fibre transaction, becoming South Africa’s first company to fully operationalise virtual electricity wheeling, and announcing partnerships in satellite connectivity — including a deal to distribute Starlink business services on the continent.
Vodacom spokesperson Byron Kennedy said the year reflected disciplined execution and a clear focus on long-term value creation.
“We balanced strong growth with operational resilience, successfully closed out Vision 2025, and laid the foundations for our bold Vision 2030 ambitions,” Kennedy said. “With strengthened networks, expanding digital and financial services, and a sharper customer focus, Vodacom is well positioned to deliver even greater pan-African impact.”
By September 2025, Vodacom’s customer base had grown to 223.2 million users, while its financial services platform reached 93.7 million customers. These figures keep the company on track to reach 260 million customers and 120 million financial services users by 2030.
A key part of Vodacom’s strategy has been diversifying beyond traditional mobile services. In 2025, the group closed a deal to acquire a 30% stake in Maziv — the parent company of Vumatel and DFA — strengthening its fibre ambitions.
“Our joint controlling stake in Maziv will accelerate fibre rollout, improve network quality and expand access to affordable high-speed connectivity,” Kennedy said.
Vodacom also announced a proposed R36 billion transaction that would increase its stake in Kenya’s Safaricom from 35% to 55%, pending regulatory approval. If completed, the deal would deepen Vodacom’s footprint in one of Africa’s most advanced telecoms and fintech markets.
While digital and fintech services continued to outpace traditional mobile growth in 2025, Vodacom invested heavily in its core network. The group spent R23 billion upgrading infrastructure across its African operations, expanding 4G and 5G coverage and strengthening resilience across cloud, IoT and enterprise services.
On the energy front, Vodacom entered a landmark power purchase agreement with Sola Group, becoming the first company in South Africa to operationalise virtual electricity wheeling — a move Kennedy described as a blueprint for private-sector participation in the energy transition.
Looking ahead to 2026, Vodacom plans to accelerate its Vision 2030 strategy, with a focus on digital inclusion, AI-driven customer experiences and satellite connectivity to close remaining coverage gaps across Africa.
