Safaricom says Vodacom deal will help spread M-Pesa across Africa

Safaricom said on Monday it aims to expand its M-Pesa financial services across Africa after South Africa's Vodacom buys a 35 percent stake in the Kenyan telecoms operator from Britain's Vodafone.

Safaricom, which dominates mobile telephony in Kenya with 28 million subscribers, said in a statement that Vodafone had offered "appropriate assurances" to the Kenyan government, which is also a shareholder in Safaricom, before the deal was announced.