Kenya’s ICT sector recorded strong growth in the third quarter of the 2024/2025 financial year, according to the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA). The surge was fueled by rising mobile, internet, and broadcasting services, supported by aggressive customer retention campaigns and wider device availability.
Mobile and Internet Expansion
Between January and March 2025, mobile subscriptions grew 6.7% to 76.16 million, while mobile money users rose 7.2% to 45.36 million. Broadband subscriptions reached 44.44 million (+2.4%), driven by growing demand for 4G and 5G connectivity. Fixed internet grew 8.1%, and broadcasting subscriptions hit 6.28 million, propelled by a 31.5% rise in cable TV.
Overall mobile penetration hit 143%, with smartphones rising 2.1% to 42.35 million and feature phones climbing 6.5% to 32.5 million. This wider access to advanced devices is enabling more Kenyans to adopt digital services, ranging from online shopping to e-learning.
Voice, SMS, and International Traffic
On-net voice traffic rose 5.4% to 24.36 billion minutes, while off-net calls increased by 5.1%. SMS usage showed mixed trends — on-net SMS volumes grew 2.8%, while off-net messages fell 7.7% as users increasingly preferred internet-based messaging apps. International incoming mobile calls surged by 14.4%, though outgoing calls rose more modestly at 1.4%. International SMS volumes declined, in line with global communication shifts. In-bound roaming data volumes climbed 10.6%, reflecting a recovery in travel and tourism.
Smart Connectivity and Inclusion
Machine-to-machine (M2M) subscriptions, critical for IoT and smart devices, grew by 3.5% to nearly 2 million. Mobile money remained a cornerstone of financial inclusion, with subscriptions up 7.2% and agents expanding by 5.5% to nearly 417,000. Conversely, satellite internet usage fell 9.9%, mainly due to reduced Starlink adoption.
Cybersecurity Concerns
Despite these positive trends, cyber threats remain a major challenge. KE-CIRT detected 2.5 billion cyber threats during the quarter — a staggering 201.7% increase — while issuing 13.2 million advisories, up 14.2%. The CA urged stronger cybersecurity measures to safeguard the country’s rapidly growing digital ecosystem.
