Safaricom got $400m loan for Ethiopia licence: bank

Safaricom Plc CEO Peter Ndegwa.

Safaricom Plc CEO Peter Ndegwa in Nairobi on October 27, 2020. PHOTO | FILE | NMG

Standard Chartered Bank Kenya was one of the major banks that lent Safaricom a total of $400 million last year, helping the telecom operator pay for its Ethiopian licence.

A consortium led by Safaricom paid $850 million to gain entry into the new market, with the telco relying heavily on short-term loans to fulfil its part of the capital obligations.