Safaricom has announced a KES 10 million sponsorship for the upcoming HSBC SVNS2 Rugby Sevens Tournament, positioning itself as the event’s official technology partner.
While the financial injection boosts the operational capacity of the tournament scheduled for 14th–15th February 2026 at Nyayo National Stadium, the core of the partnership lies in the telecommunication giant’s provision of digital infrastructure and a strategic push for its M-PESA Super App.
Infrastructure: Connectivity as a Utility
Hosting an international sporting event requires significant bandwidth, particularly for broadcast and real-time reporting. Safaricom’s role extends to powering the backend of the tournament’s media operations.
The telco will deploy a fully equipped, “world-class” media centre designed to support local and international journalists. This includes high-speed dedicated internet connectivity across key functional areas of the stadium to ensure seamless transmission of data. Additionally, Safaricom is providing communication hardware (devices) and airtime to tournament organisers to facilitate logistical coordination.
The ‘Super App’ Ecosystem Play
Beyond the physical infrastructure, Safaricom is utilising the tournament as a sandbox to drive engagement on the M-PESA App. The company has structured its rewards to incentivise the use of M-PESA not just as a payment rail, but as a lifestyle platform.
From 14th to 16th February, fans attending the tournament can access significant subsidies, but only if transactions are processed through the M-PESA App:
- Transport Logistics: Users spending KES 250 on the ride-hailing app Little will receive KES 100 cashback.
- Travel Integration: A 25% discount is available for flight bookings (minimum spend KES 5,000) and bus tickets (minimum spend KES 1,500).
This strategy aligns with the industry-wide trend of “Super Apps,” where payment providers integrate third-party services (mobility, travel, ticketing) to increase user retention and transaction frequency.
Data Consumption and Content
Safaricom CEO Peter Ndegwa highlighted the dual focus on operational support and consumer data usage.
“Beyond [supporting the players], we want fans to stay connected on our strong and reliable network,” Ndegwa stated, announcing the launch of exclusive ‘Rugby BLIVE’ data bundles.
This move targets the high data consumption associated with live sporting events, where fans frequently stream highlights, upload content to social media, and engage with live stats in real-time.
Strategic Context: The Remittance Angle
The sponsorship also highlights a specific arm of the business: Safaricom Money Transfer Services Limited. According to Ndegwa, the support for the national teams—Shujaa and the Kenya Lionesses—is specifically channelled to ensure reliable salary and allowance processing. This points to Safaricom’s broader ambition to dominate the payroll and bulk disbursement sector within the sports economy.
This latest KES 10 million commitment builds on an existing two-year, KES 100 million partnership with the Kenya Rugby Union (KRU), which covers medical insurance, financial literacy programmes, and allowances.
Tournament Details
The HSBC SVNS2 is a critical promotion tournament. Twelve men’s and twelve women’s teams will compete for a chance to enter the elite HSBC SVNS Division 1.
- Men’s Pool: Kenya, USA, Uruguay, Germany, Belgium, Canada.
- Women’s Pool: Kenya, Brazil, Spain, China, South Africa, Argentina.
Kenya Lionesses Captain Sheila Chajira noted that the institutional backing has been vital for performance, stating, “We are ready to give it our all… financial and institutional backing has inspired us.”
