Safaricom, in partnership with Huawei, has launched VybCall, Kenya's first Video Ring Back Tone (VRBT) service, allowing users to replace traditional audio ringtones with short video clips. This new service, based on Safaricom's VoLTE network, is now live and aims to provide a new revenue stream for the company and monetization opportunities for content creators.

• VybCall is currently available only on a limited range of Android smartphones, including Safaricom Neon series, select Samsung, OPPO, and Xiaomi Redmi A series devices.
• Kenya is the first country in Africa to introduce a mainstream VRBT service.
• The service is built on the legacy of Skiza, which already boasts over nine million subscribers and generates KES 7.58 billion annually.
• Huawei and China Mobile have a similar VRBT platform running since 2016, serving over 400 million users and generating more than $1.5 billion in revenue.

Sanlam Kenya has launched Sanlam Akiba Plus, a new mobile-first, tech-driven pension platform to simplify and democratize retirement savings for individuals and businesses across Kenya.

• The platform aims to close Kenya's pension gap by offering flexible, digital access and targeting the informal and gig economies.
• Led by CEO Jacqueline Karasha of Sanlam Life, Akiba Plus allows users to register, contribute, and track investments via web or USSD.
• Contributions are guaranteed against capital depreciation, with a 5% minimum return and actual returns reaching up to 15% in 2024.
• Sanlam is also opening its platform with open APIs and a sandbox for fintech integration, projecting 40–60% growth in signups within the next 12 months.