Safaricom has slashed data allocations in several of its popular mobile bundles by more than 50%, effectively making users pay double for the same amount of internet. The changes were rolled out over the weekend with no prior notice, catching loyal customers off guard.
The biggest reductions hit the “No Expiry” bundles, long favored for their flexibility. For example, a KES 51 bundle now offers just 102MB, down from 255MB, while KES 100 gets 200MB instead of 400MB. The KES 250 bundle dropped from 1GB to 500MB, leaving many subscribers feeling shortchanged.
Subscribers quickly took to social media to voice frustration over the unexpected reductions. Safaricom responded vaguely on X, stating they were “aware of the issue affecting the awarding of data bundles” and that a resolution was in progress. Efforts to clarify whether the cuts were intentional or a technical glitch received no response from the company.
For Kenyan consumers already grappling with inflation and rising living costs, the timing of the data reductions adds further strain. Many users only discovered the changes when purchasing bundles and realizing they were receiving half the data they had previously enjoyed.
With a commanding 62.8% share of Kenya’s mobile broadband market and over 48 million active subscribers, Safaricom’s decision impacts a significant portion of the country’s internet users.
Other offerings, including the “All-In-One” plans—bundling data, minutes, and SMS—and hourly packages, remained unaffected at the time of publishing.