Kenya’s telecommunications sector continues to thrive, driven by robust growth in mobile subscriptions, broadband connectivity, and mobile money services, according to the Communications Authority of Kenya’s (CA) Sector Statistics Report for the third quarter of the 2024-2025 financial year (January-March 2025).
The report, released this month, underscores the country’s position as a leading technology hub in East Africa, with significant advancements in 4G and 5G adoption and a mobile penetration rate surpassing 137 percent.
Mobile Subscriptions and Penetration Soar
The report highlights a 2.2 percent increase in active mobile (SIM) subscriptions, rising from 70.0 million in September 2024 to 71.6 million by March 2025.
This growth translates to a mobile penetration rate of 137.3 percent, reflecting widespread access to mobile services across Kenya’s population of approximately 51.5 million.
The surge is attributed to ongoing infrastructure investments and competitive offerings from service providers like Safaricom PLC, which maintains a dominant 65.8 percent market share, followed by Airtel Networks Kenya Ltd. at 29.4 percent.
Machine-to-machine (M2M) subscriptions also saw a notable uptick, growing by 5.9 percent to 2.2 million, signaling increased adoption of IoT (Internet of Things) technologies in sectors such as agriculture and logistics.
Meanwhile, mobile money subscriptions climbed to 41.2 million, achieving a penetration rate of 79.2 percent, fueled by seamless interoperability between platforms like M-Pesa and Airtel Money.
Broadband and Data Usage on the Rise
Kenya’s embrace of high-speed connectivity is evident in the growth of broadband subscriptions, which reached 37.4 million by March 2025, up 4.6 percent from the previous quarter.
The report notes a shift toward advanced network technologies, with 4G subscriptions constituting 61.2 percent of mobile broadband connections, while 5G adoption continues to gain traction, supported by providers like Safaricom and Airtel expanding their networks to 39 counties.
Satellite internet subscriptions surged by 112.3 percent, driven by Starlink’s aggressive customer acquisition campaigns offering affordable equipment rentals.
Total data consumption, however, dipped slightly by 2.8 percent to 1,234 petabytes, largely due to a decline in 3G usage as consumers and providers pivot to faster 4G and 5G networks.
Fixed broadband subscriptions, including fiber-to-the-home (FTTH), grew modestly by 2.1 percent to 1.62 million, reflecting steady demand for reliable internet in urban areas.
Voice Traffic and Market Dynamics
Domestic voice traffic saw a significant boost, with outgoing mobile voice minutes increasing by 6.7 percent to 28.1 billion.
This growth is linked to promotional offers, such as Safaricom’s KES 20 bundle for 10 minutes of all-network calls, 20 SMS, and 50 MB of data, which resonated strongly with cost-conscious consumers.
Safaricom continues to lead in voice traffic with a 68.4 percent market share, while Airtel holds 27.8 percent.
The report also notes a competitive landscape, with smaller players like Telkom Kenya and Finserve (Equitel) Ltd. holding 1.6 percent and 2.0 percent of mobile subscriptions, respectively.
This article is written with the help of AI summarisation
