Safaricom has officially taken the wraps off Decode 4.0. Tagged the “Made of Kenya Edition,” this year’s developer and tech summit coincides with the telco’s 25 years of operations, and it’s shaping up to be their most ambitious gathering yet.
If you’ve been closely following Kenya’s digital infrastructure and the shifting sands of our tech ecosystem like I have, this is the room you want to be in. Safaricom is bringing the event back to the Sarit Expo Centre in Nairobi, running from Tuesday, March 31 to Thursday, April 2, 2026.
Here is a comprehensive breakdown of what to expect from Decode 4.0, who is speaking, and exactly how you can secure your spot.
The four pillars: AI, Fintech, Gaming, and Ecosystems
Safaricom is pivoting hard into what it calls the “Age of Intelligent Systems.” While previous iterations of Decode laid the groundwork, version 4.0 is actively looking at how we build and scale this intelligence locally. The summit is split across four core pillars:
- Fintech (The Intelligent Finance Grid): I’ve spent a lot of time analyzing Safaricom’s fintech evolution, from the foundational dominance of M-PESA to the complexities of wealth platforms like Ziidi MMF and Ziidi Trader. Decode 4.0 promises a look into the next era: autonomous, interoperable, and secure financial rails.
- AI (The Intelligent Core): A deep dive into agentic AI, domain-specific models, and how distributed intelligence will reshape how developers in Kenya build and scale applications.
- Gaming (The Intelligent Creative Engine): Powered by 5G, this track highlights generative, immersive production. It’s a massive nod to Africa’s creator economy and interactive storytelling.
- Ecosystem Building: A collaborative hub focused on the shared infrastructure needed for Africa’s interconnected future.
CodeLabs are already underway
While the main summit kicks off at the end of the month, the Pre-Summit Experience, dubbed CodeLabs, is actually already live. Running from March 2 to March 27, these are hands-on, guided walkthroughs. Developers can jump into practical sprints covering everything from UI/UX and Mini-App building to Chaos Engineering and Platform Engineering.
Safaricom Decode 4.0 speakers
Safaricom is pulling out the heavy hitters for the three-day summit. The Decode 4.0 speaker lineup is a mix of the telco’s top brass and notable innovators from the local tech and creative scenes.
From Safaricom’s side, you can expect to hear from James Maitai (Group CTO), Dilip Pal (Group CFO and Innovation Officer), and Esther Waititu (Chief Financial Services Officer), alongside specialized leads in Generative AI and Cybersecurity.
The external lineup is just as robust, featuring prominent ecosystem voices like Tonee Ndungu (Founder, NILAB), Evans Kiragu (CEO, Mekan Games), Stella Muraguri (Managing Partner, MMW Advocates LLP), and Ellein Nasieku (Producer, SemaBOX Africa).
How to register for Safaricom Decode 4.0
Getting a physical ticket to Decode has historically been a competitive sport. Last year’s Safaricom Decode 3.0 saw over 9,600 physical attendees, and this year is no different.
Here is how the registration works: Safaricom opens the registration portal every day at exactly 11:00 AM. Once the allocated slots for that specific day are filled, the portal closes, and you will have to try your luck the following day at 11:00 AM sharp.
If you aren’t in Nairobi, or if you simply miss out on the daily ticket drops, haina pressure. Safaricom will be live-streaming the entire 3-day event on YouTube. Considering Decode 3.0 pulled in over 60,000 live streamers in 2025, the virtual experience is treated as a first-class citizen.
You can keep an eye on the official portal at decode.safaricom.co.ke for the daily 11 AM ticket drops.
