Vodacom nearly doubles customer base as African expansion fuels revenue surge

VODACOM has expanded its footprint across Africa as part of its Vision 2025 strategy, acquiring Vodafone Egypt and extending network connectivity into Ethiopia through a Safaricom-led consortium, CEO Shameel Joosub said in the group's annual report released on Friday.

- PHILIPPA LARKIN

The move has helped Vodacom nearly double its customer base, from 115.5 million in 2020 to 211.3 million in 2025, including Safaricom. Revenue rose from R91 billion to R152.2 billion over the same period, while the company's profit and revenue profile increasingly reflects its broader, more diversified operations.

To meet growing data demand, Vodacom invested R20.3 billion in network infrastructure during the 2025 financial year, down slightly from R20.4 billion the year before. Improved energy availability reduced the need for resilience investments, enabling the group to focus more on network expansion.

Vodacom's 4G sites increased by 7.2% in 2025, bringing total network sites including Safaricom - to nearly 48000, up from 31 000 in 2020. The company now ranks among Africa's largest tower owners.