Safaricom's Ethiopia losses narrow as profit rises; Ethiopia-Sudan allegations continue

Sources cover Safaricom's improving results from its Ethiopian unit and a diplomatic dispute between Ethiopia and Sudan, but none explain why Kenyans are searching for "ethiopia".

What happened

Two separate stories about Ethiopia appear in the sources. The first concerns Safaricom. Business Daily reports that the telco projects its Ethiopian unit will achieve net profits, after taxes and all costs, over the next three years [1]. Safaricom's six-month results to September 2026 showed group net earnings rising 35.9 per cent to Sh58.2 billion, supported by stronger performance in Kenya and a sharp reduction in losses at the Ethiopian subsidiary [2].

The second concerns a dispute between Ethiopia and Sudan. Sudan accuses Ethiopia of supporting the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), while Ethiopia accuses Sudan of backing rebels in its northern Tigray region. Both sides deny the allegations [4]. Sudan's government said it had lodged a complaint with the UN Security Council and the African Union's Peace and Security Council, accusing Ethiopia of allowing the RSF to use its territory to launch suicide drones against civilian infrastructure in Sudan. The Ethiopian prime minister's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment [4]. The headline of the same report states that Ethiopia expelled Sudanese diplomats [4], although the extract does not give further detail on this.

Why Kenyans are searching for it

The sources do not explain why "ethiopia" is trending in Kenya. They contain no reference to Kenyan public interest, a specific event affecting Kenyans, or a reason for a spike in searches. The Safaricom results and the Ethiopia-Sudan dispute are both reported, but neither source links them to the search trend.

Key facts

• M-Pesa generated Sh100.1 billion in revenue in the six months to September 2026, up 13.6 per cent on the same period last year [2].
• Group service revenue rose 11.3 per cent to Sh226.1 billion, and EBITDA grew 27.5 per cent to Sh129.2 billion [2].
• Analysts polled by The Kenyan Wallstreet forecast shareholder profit of between KSh49.90 billion and KSh57.20 billion for the half-year. Kestrel Capital expects Ethiopia's EBITDA loss to narrow to KSh2.40 billion and reach breakeven only in the second half of FY2028 [3].
• The reported Sh58.2 billion net earnings figure [2] is above the range of analyst forecasts in [3]. The sources use different profit measures, so the figures should not be compared directly.
• Sudan has complained to the UN Security Council and the African Union, and both countries deny the allegations against them [4].

What to watch

• Whether Safaricom's Ethiopian unit reaches the profit targets it has projected [1].
• Whether the Ethiopian losses continue to narrow, as analysts expect [3].
• Any response from Ethiopia's government to Sudan's complaints, which had not been given at the time of the report [4].
• Whether the dispute between Ethiopia and Sudan widens into a broader regional conflict, as some observers fear [4].

Sources

1. [1] Safaricom on brink of Ethiopia profit target - Business Daily
2. [2] M-Pesa crosses Sh100bn revenue as Safaricom profits jump to Sh58.2bn in H1 - The Star, Kenya
3. [3] Safaricom HY2027: Analysts Forecast 27% Profit Growth | The Kenyan Wallstreet - The Kenyan Wallstreet
4. [4] Ethiopia expels Sudanese diplomats after fresh allegations of support for RSF - Nairobi Tea

Compiled by the NairobiCity trend desk from the sources above.