NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 26 – Kenyan youth consume airtime worth Sh23.6 billion, while spending some Sh64 billion annually on clothes and other accessories, according to a new study released by marketing research firm Youth Dynamix.
The study further reveals that the youth consume over Sh65 billion on entertainment and outings annually, while up to 43 percent of youth aged between 18 and 25 have registered as voters.
Key “chill zones” combine shopping malls, cinema halls and eateries.
The current hot spots included; Galleria, Prestige Plaza, Nakumatt Junction, Sarit Centre and Westgate in Nairobi as well as Nyali Cinemax and Nakumatt Nyali in Mombasa mainly for the higher end youth and Nandos, KFC, Kenchic, Lifestyle, Shawarma, Tarbush, Olympic for the middle class.
The study, which was conducted during the first and second quarters of 2012, covered urban areas in all provinces in Kenya.
The primary target for the study was youth aged between 16 and 24.
Youth Dynamix Managing Director Ciru Ngigi said the bracket has a population of approximately seven million, which is 18 percent of the total population.
“The youth consumer’s buying power is continuously growing and also influences, to a great extent, the spending patterns of family members. In addition they set trends that are then adopted by other demographic groups,” she said.
Ngigi said the study canvassed the full spectrum of the youth market and was based on the five pillars of youth culture which are entertainment, sports, fashion, relationships and technology.
The average age of the main internet users in Kenya was 18.8 years, with 41 percent of the youth using the internet on a daily basis.
About 39 percent of the youth surveyed would like to own an iPhone and 32 percent a Blackberry.
An estimated 48 percent of this age bracket is male and 52 percent is female, while 63 percent of these youth live in rural areas.
Generally, the study concluded that urban youth highly influence and shape the trends of youth culture.
