Editor's Review

  • Kenya’s leading Telecommunication Company Safaricom has announced new costs for making calls and sending texts following increased taxation by the government.

Kenya’s leading Telecommunication Company Safaricom has announced new costs for making calls and sending texts following increased taxation by the government.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Safaricom noted that effective July 7, 2021, customers will be charged Sh4.87 for a minute call and Sh1.20 for a text message to other Safaricom users.

“The call rate is now sh4.87 per minute from 8am to 10pm and sh2.50 from 10pm to 8am. Sending SMS will cost you sh1.20. Out of bundle data billing will be sh4.87 per MB,” Safaricom said.


According to Safaricom, the recent increase of airtime and telephone duty tax by the government from 15 to 20% will also affect costs of making international calls, Home Fibre and Business Fibre internet, and the cost of individual and corporate post-paid bills.

One the key products not affected by the change is Safaricom’s data bundle. The cost of all data bundle products will remain the same. However, it is worth noting that out of bundles data billing has been increased to Sh4.87 per MB.

Out of bundle means browsing the internet without purchasing a data bundle product, in other words, using your airtime to browse.

Below is a list of key Safaricom products and Services affected by the price change: