Kenya’s Q1 FY 2025/26 sector report reveals surging broadband, rising mobile subscriptions, and a decisive shift to data‑driven platforms powering the digital economy.
Fixed Broadband Growth Driven by Fibre and Wireless
Kenya’s fixed broadband market expanded strongly between July and September 2025, with total subscriptions rising 6.9% to 2.29 million.
Broadband Market Overview
| Segment | Subscriptions (Q1 2025/26) | Growth Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Fixed Broadband | 2.29 million | +6.9% | Overall market expansion |
| Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) | 1.27 million | +5.4% | 960,000+ users prefer 10–30 Mbps speeds |
| Fixed Wireless | 814,782 | +10.2% | Fastest growth, peri-urban focus |
| Satellite | 19,762 | Marginal | <1% of the market, led by Starlink |
Market Leaders in Home Internet
| Provider | Subscribers | Market Share |
|---|---|---|
| Safaricom PLC | 815,037 | 35.6% |
| Jamii Telecommunications | 466,458 | 20.4% |
| Wananchi Group | 270,320 | 11.8% |
| Poa Internet | 265,729 | 11.6% |
| Ahadi Wireless | 181,719 | 7.9% |
| Vilcom Networks | 107,763 | 4.7% |
| Mawingu Networks | 84,099 | 3.7% |
| Vijiji Connect | 17,285 | 0.8% |
International Bandwidth Capacity
| Metric | Value | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Lit Bandwidth Capacity | 22,311 Gbps | Flat |
| Utilized Capacity | +2.8% | Rising consumption |
Mobile Market Expansion at Global Pace
Kenya’s mobile sector continues to grow at a pace few markets globally can match.
Mobile Subscriptions
| Metric | Value | Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Total SIM Subscriptions | 78.3 million | +2.1% |
| Penetration Rate | 149.4% | High |
| Prepaid Share | 98% | Dominant |
| Postpaid Share | 2% | Minimal |
Market Share by Operator
| Operator | SIM Share | Mobile Money Share |
|---|---|---|
| Safaricom | 65.3% | 89.7% (M-PESA) |
| Airtel | 30.7% | 10.3% |
| Telkom Kenya | 1.1% | — |
| Others (JTL, Finserve) | Niche | Niche |
Mobile Money
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Subscriptions | 48.6 million |
| Penetration | 92.8% |
Machine-to-Machine (M2M)
| Metric | Value | Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Connections | 1.86 million | +4.1% quarterly, +5.6% YoY |
Voice and SMS Traffic: Data Platforms Take Over
The CA report underscores a shift toward internet‑based communication platforms as smartphones reshape consumer behaviour.
Voice and SMS Overview
| Metric | Value | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Domestic Voice Traffic | 29.93 billion mins | Stable growth |
| SMS Traffic | 14.66 billion msgs | –3.8% decline |
| Minutes of Use (MoU) | 127.5 per month | Up from 126.5 |
| SMS per Subscription | 62.4 per month | Down from 66.3 |
| Roaming Data | 128 million MBs | +3.4% |
Operator Voice Performance
| Operator | Voice Minutes (Q1) | Previous Quarter | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Safaricom | 18.3 billion | 18.5 billion | Slight decline |
| Airtel | 11.6 billion | 10.6 billion | Strong growth |
Call Durations
| Type | Average Duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| On-net | 1.8 minutes | Down from 1.9 |
| Off-net | 1.3 minutes | Steady |
| Airtel On-net | 2.8 minutes | Longest, value perception |
| Safaricom On-net | 1.6 minutes | Shorter |
SMS Market Share
| Operator | Messages (Q1) | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Safaricom | 13.35 billion | Dominant |
| Airtel | 1.3 billion | Secondary |
| Others | Small fraction | Marginal |
Kenya’s Digital Future: Connectivity Meets Commerce
With smartphone penetration at 85.2%, Kenyans increasingly rely on WhatsApp, Telegram, Messenger, and other data‑based platforms instead of SMS. Voice remains stable, but SMS is steadily slipping into the background.
