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Kenya’s telecommunications sector showed impressive growth in the first quarter of the financial year 2024/2025, with notable increases in mobile SIM subscriptions, broadband services, smartphone usage, and mobile money services, according to the Communications Authority of Kenya’s (CA) latest quarterly Sector Statistics report.
The report, covering July to September 2024, highlights the continued shift towards high-speed internet with a marked rise in the adoption of 4G and 5G technologies, despite a slight decline in 3G broadband subscriptions and data consumption.
The rapid uptake of these technologies is driven by growing demand for high-speed connectivity for activities like streaming, e-learning, remote work, and e-commerce.
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By the end of the quarter, mobile data subscriptions reached a record 53.7 million, with 58.1% of these being 4G connections.
The rise in demand for high-speed internet is also reflected in the increase of mobile broadband subscriptions, with 4G and 5G technology becoming more entrenched in the market.
Mobile SIM subscriptions saw a modest 1.6% growth, rising to 70.0 million, representing a penetration rate of 135.8%. Meanwhile, mobile money subscriptions also increased, with the number of registered users growing from 39.8 million to 40.6 million, reflecting a penetration rate of 78.9%.
The number of mobile phones connected to networks reached 68.1 million, with smartphones comprising 37.4 million of that total. Smartphone penetration stands at 72.6%, while feature phones still account for a significant share of the market at 59.6%.
Voice traffic also saw growth, with domestic voice traffic increasing by 5.5% from 24.9 billion to 26.2 billion minutes. Special offers from service providers played a significant role in this growth, offering consumers affordable packages for calls, SMS, and data.
In terms of market share, Safaricom PLC continues to lead in mobile subscriptions with 65.7%, followed by Airtel Networks Kenya at 29.6%.
In mobile broadband, Safaricom commands a dominant share of 63.1%, with Airtel Networks holding 32.6%. When it comes to mobile money services, Safaricom holds an overwhelming 92.3% market share, leaving Airtel Money with 7.6% and T-Kash with less than 1%.
The data also shows significant growth in satellite internet services, with Starlink’s customer acquisition campaign driving a 104.7% increase in satellite internet subscriptions.
Additionally, Kenya’s international internet bandwidth capacity increased, with total available bandwidth rising to 24,195.320 Gbps and utilised undersea bandwidth increasing by 1.1%. Utilised satellite internet capacity also saw a massive 152.8% growth.
The telecommunications sector’s ongoing growth and responsiveness to consumer demand demonstrate the industry’s vital role in driving Kenya’s digital transformation, even as challenges such as cyber threats remain. During the review period, the National KE-CIRT/CC detected over 657 million cyber threat events.
The CA’s report underscores Kenya’s position as a leader in digital connectivity and highlights the continuous evolution of the telecom sector, which is expected to fuel further advancements in the country’s economy.
Read the full report here:
Sector Statistics Report Q1 2024-2025
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