Kenya’s largest telecom operator, Safaricom, has halted its advertising on Nation Media Group (NMG) platforms following critical reports about the company, according to two NMG executives familiar with the matter.
NMG-owned outlets, including the Daily Nation, Business Daily, and The East African, published multiple stories scrutinizing Safaricom over the past month. One report detailed an $800 million public healthcare contract awarded to a consortium that included Safaricom and firms linked to Indian billionaire Gautam Adani. Another story noted the close relationships between Safaricom chairman Adil Khawaja, President William Ruto, and Adani.
The immediate trigger for the ad suspension appears to be an investigative report by the Daily Nation on Oct. 29, 2024. The report alleged that Safaricom shared user data—including calls, texts, and location—without proper consent, a claim the company has denied.
In the week following the privacy report, Safaricom placed ads in The Standard and The Star, affirming its commitment to customer privacy, coinciding with its 24th anniversary. The company also opted to publish its half-year 2024 financial results in these publications, marking the first time since its 2008 IPO that the telecom giant bypassed NMG for this purpose.
The suspension highlights the rising pressure on Kenya’s independent media outlets, which face declining ad revenues as banks, telcos, and government entities reduce spending on advertising.
Safaricom is one of Kenya’s biggest advertisers, reportedly spending $4.8 million (KES 619.2 million) on ads each month.
This isn’t the first instance of Safaricom withholding ads following unfavorable coverage. Previously, the company would still publish its financial statements in NMG papers, but this is the first time it has chosen not to.
In October 2024, Safaricom officials visited several Kenyan newsrooms, urging them to tone down their coverage, according to a senior PR executive who requested anonymity to speak freely. The officials reportedly met with senior editors and reporters, using their substantial market influence to press for favorable reporting.
