The growing demand for high-speed internet in Kenya—driven by movie streaming, e-learning, and remote work—has fueled a surge in mobile data subscriptions and the adoption of advanced technologies like 4G and 5G.

According to the Communication Authority of Kenya (CA) Audience Measurement and Industry Trends Report (October-December 2024) mobile data subscriptions rose to 56.1 million by December 2024. 

The report, which was released on Tuesday, also highlights that smartphone penetration reached 80.5 percent, propelled by the expansion of mobile broadband networks, which now cover 97 percent of the population.

"There are more male than female internet users. In addition, the incidence of internet usage is higher amongst the younger folk aged under 34 years," the report notes in part.

It added, "the increased prevalence of internet access in Kenyan urban areas can be attributed to well-established infrastructure, featuring a comprehensive network of high-speed broadband and cellular connectivity. 

"Additionally, urban areas have better socioeconomic resources, fostering greater penetration of digital devices and technology adoption compared to rural regions. Higher Living Standards Measure (LSM) scores are associated with increased internet usage."

During the quarter, Kenya's active mobile phone subscriptions increased by two percent to reach 71.4 million in December, up from 70 million in October, last year.

According to CA, the country's mobile phone penetration rate reached 138.5 percent, maintaining an upward trend as demand for telecommunication services continues to expand.

"This growth is mainly attributed to the busy festive season during the same period," the CA explained.

Popular social platforms

Additionally, the survey shows that Meta platforms Facebook (57.1 percent) and WhatsApp (54.4 percent) are the most popular social media platforms in Kenya. They are closely followed by video sharing platform TikTok (30 per cent) and YouTube (26.2 percent) in third and fourth place. 

At 1.8 percent, Telegram emerged a distant 10th position among the most popular social platforms followed closely by LinkedIn at 0.8 percent.

What's more, in the three months to December 2024, CA reported higher newspaper readership in the Lake Victoria region, North Eastern, Rift and Nairobi regions. 

However, the watchdog noted that there has been a slight dip in readership in the Rift area from 22 percent during the first quarter (June to September) to 19 percent during the second quarter. 

Furthermore, CA noted an increase in mobile money subscriptions, which rose to 42.3 million by December 2024.

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