Kenya: Safaricom Partners with Cloudflare and Copycat to Offer Affordable Cybersecurity Solutions to Kenyan Businesses

Safaricom has teamed up with Cloudflare and Copycat to provide affordable, enterprise-grade cybersecurity solutions to businesses across Kenya, underscoring its commitment to safeguarding companies in an increasingly digital economy. The partnership marks Safaricom as the first managed services provider for Cloudflare in Africa, offering cutting-edge cybersecurity tools tailored to meet the needs of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).

Cynthia Kropac, Chief Enterprise Business Officer at Safaricom, emphasized the importance of making full-stack cybersecurity accessible and affordable to Kenyan businesses, stating, “This partnership with Cloudflare is transforming how MSMEs protect themselves in the evolving digital landscape by delivering advanced, enterprise-grade solutions.” She noted that Safaricom is leveraging Cloudflare’s innovative tools, such as zero-trust services and email security, hosted locally in Kenyan data centers, to provide robust protection from cyber threats.

Cloudflare’s massive processing capacity—over 248TB, 30 times more than any other provider in the market—ensures businesses of all sizes receive comprehensive security coverage. This capability is particularly crucial as Kenyan businesses face increasing threats in the digital realm.

Graham Turnbull, Managing Executive at Cloudflare, said the collaboration brings world-class digital security solutions closer to business owners, empowering them to operate securely and confidently. Vishal Patel, Managing Director at Copycat, added that the partnership enables businesses, regardless of their size, to benefit from scalable, fast, and secure digital infrastructure, reinforcing Safaricom’s mission to future-proof Kenyan enterprises.

In addition to cybersecurity, Safaricom has recently broadened its services for small business owners through a partnership with Kenyan fintech Pezesha, launched in June 2024. This collaboration offers MSMEs a new credit option through M-PESA business accounts, supplementing Safaricom’s existing loan products like M-Shwari and Fuliza, helping small businesses access much-needed financial resources.

These strategic initiatives are part of Safaricom’s broader effort to onboard more businesses and enhance its market presence. The company reported earnings of KSh 139.9 billion ($1.07 billion) before interest and tax, surpassing market expectations. Customer segmentation, digitization of the public sector, and investments in new technologies were highlighted as key drivers behind this performance.

As Safaricom gears up for its upcoming Cybersecurity Summit, more announcements are expected that will further enhance the digital security landscape for Kenyan businesses, providing them with the tools they need to thrive in a secure digital environment.