Michael Joseph reveals Safaricom 2020 plan

Safaricom CEO Michael Joseph (L) (PHOTO: Courtesy)

Kenya needs to do more to exploit opportunities in the e-commerce business, acting Safaricom Chief Executive Officer Michael Joseph has said.

In an interview to air tonight on KTN News channel, Michael Joseph said the country’s poor infrastructure is not favouring existing e-commerce businesses and the situation could be the same across the African continent going by recent news of the closure of similar enterprises in select markets.

He pointed at the lack of robust postal services and poor infrastructure working against e-commerce businesses

Safaricom is among players in the e-commerce business, it launched its Masoko platform in 2017.

The platform modelled on Amazon, allows consumers and vendors to create accounts and trade in a wide array of goods and services electronically.

“I was not a great fun of Masoko before it was launched; I think there were unanswered questions before it was rolled out. Kenya like most African countries do not have ready logistic to sustain e-commerce, our postal services, state of infrastructure doesn’t enable sustainability,” he said.

Into the New Year, Michael Joseph disclosed that the telecommunication company would broaden the focus on financial, health, education, agricultural services besides data and voice to grow its market share.

In tonight’s interview on KTN’s Trading Bell programme, he also talks about regional expansion, the economy and impact of mergers in the industry.

Succession after last year’s death of Bob Collymore will also form discussion in a programme to be aired at 8.00 pm today.