Safaricom has launched a managed software-defined wide area network (SD-WAN) service aimed at Kenyan businesses with multiple locations, with branch packages beginning at KSh9,500 per month on a 36-month contract.
The offering bundles Huawei-powered equipment, software, maintenance and 24/7 support into a recurring fee, while connectivity charges are billed separately, and it can combine fibre, 4G, 5G, broadband, dedicated internet and MPLS links into a single centrally managed network.
Peter Ndegwa, CEO of Safaricom PLC, said the service lets businesses expand without a large upfront hardware investment and provides a predictable monthly cost.
Richard Muthua, Safaricom Business’ Cloud, IoT & Security Lead, noted that enterprise SD-WAN deployments can involve equipment costs of KSh10 million to KSh15 million, making the managed model attractive.
Tom, Safaricom Business’ Vertical Lead for Enterprise Sales, said customer feedback highlighted the need for reliability, security, affordability and a managed service.
Safaricom offers three contract lengths – 12, 24 and 36 months – with lower monthly rates for longer terms; the Basic Branch package is KSh12,000, KSh7,800 and KSh6,400 respectively, while the Basic Hub starts at KSh52,100, KSh29,900 and KSh22,500, and the NGFW Hub is priced at KSh269,600, KSh149,400 and KSh109,700.
The service applies policies based on application type, bandwidth, latency and security, allowing IT teams to prioritise critical apps such as ERP or payment systems and to route traffic over the most suitable link.
It also supports “ready mobility”, enabling new sites to use LTE or 5G while awaiting fixed connections, and businesses can retain existing links from other providers.
Security features include 256-bit encryption, optional VPN/IPsec and next-generation firewall capabilities in higher-tier packages, with integration options for SOC, MDM and SASE services.
Safaricom clarified that SD-WAN does not replace MPLS but can complement it, allowing MPLS to remain part of a multi-link configuration where appropriate.
The launch comes as Kenya’s connectivity market expands, with fixed internet subscriptions reaching 2.84 million by June 2026, up 32.4 per cent year on year, fibre connections at 1.57 million and Starlink subscriptions at 27,616.
Safaricom’s SD-WAN service aims to reduce the operational complexity of managing multiple links, with Huawei citing a reduction from 238 person-days to 16 person-days for a 200-site deployment through central orchestration and zero-touch provisioning.
