NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 18 – Kenya’s mobile market has shifted as smartphones continue to dominate the sector, with feature phone usage showing a steady decline amid growing demand for digital services.
According to the report by the Communications Authority of Kenya (CAK), mobile phone devices connected to mobile networks reached 72.0 million, representing a 139.8 percent penetration rate.
This figure reflects the impact of users owning multiple devices, a trend common in Kenya’s dynamic mobile market.
Smartphones continued on an upward trajectory, with penetration hitting 80.5 percent, while feature phone usage declined to 59.3 percent, marking a significant drop.
The rapid uptake in smartphones is attributed to several factors. Chief among them is the 97.0 percent population coverage of mobile broadband networks across the country, enabling more Kenyans to access high-speed internet services.
Additionally, the growing availability and affordability of smartphones, coupled with an increasing demand for digital services, have driven this shift.
The report highlights that the number of smartphones connected to networks grew to 41.5 million, up from 37.4 million previously. In contrast, feature phone connections fell slightly to 30.6 million, down from 30.7 million, representing a 0.5 percent decline.
The CAK noted that mobile phone device data accounts for all devices connected to mobile networks but does not equate to mobile phone ownership, which is measured through independent surveys.
With Kenya’s digital economy growing rapidly, industry stakeholders expect smartphone penetration to continue outpacing feature phone usage as consumers seek to tap into more sophisticated digital platforms and services.
