Kenya's mobile subscriptions have exceeded the country's population, with 87.999 million active subscriptions recorded in the fourth quarter of the 2025/26 financial year. This represents a 4.6% increase from the previous year, according to the Communications Authority of Kenya. The mobile penetration rate has risen to 165%, up from 146.3% the previous year. Individuals and businesses maintain multiple SIM cards across different networks and for various services, contributing to the growth.
The shift in Kenya's mobile market is driven by the increasing adoption of smartphones. By June, smartphones had reached 52.26 million, while feature phones declined to 27.42 million. Total mobile devices connected to networks stood at 79.7 million, equivalent to a penetration rate of 149.4%. The Communications Authority attributes the growth in smartphone adoption partly to the expansion of 4G and 5G networks.
Mobile data subscriptions have also seen significant growth, reaching 64.26 million at the end of June, up 9.7% from 58.6 million the previous year. Mobile broadband accounted for 85.5% of mobile data subscriptions, with 4G being the most widely adopted broadband technology. Data consumption over 4G and 5G networks continued to rise during the period, while 3G consumption declined as subscribers opted for higher-speed connectivity.
The growth of mobile data and smartphones is changing the nature of Kenya's mobile market. Phones are increasingly becoming gateways to financial services, commerce, entertainment, government services, and business applications, rather than just tools for voice calls and text messages. This shift is also visible in traditional communications, with domestic voice traffic increasing 13.6% to 126.7 billion minutes, while SMS traffic fell 0.3% to 57.1 billion messages.
The decline in SMS traffic is partly attributed to the growing use of over-the-top messaging services such as WhatsApp. Kenya's mobile market is also increasingly tied to financial services, with mobile-money subscriptions reaching 54 million by June, representing 101.3% penetration after growing 13.2% during the year. Safaricom remained the largest operator, with 69.8% of mobile subscriptions and 64.4% of mobile broadband subscriptions at the end of June.
Safaricom's share of mobile-money transfers stood at 88.8%. The broader mobile-services market generated KSh440.9 billion in revenue in 2025, an increase of 3.6%. Other services, including mobile money, roaming, bulk SMS, and airtime credit, accounted for 42.8% of mobile-service revenue, ahead of voice at 25.6%, data at 28.2%, and SMS at 3.4%.
The figures point to a telecommunications industry increasingly driven by data, financial services, and digital platforms rather than traditional voice and messaging. For operators, the expansion of smartphones and broadband creates a larger addressable market for digital services. For consumers and businesses, it means a growing share of everyday transactions and communications can be conducted through mobile applications, reinforcing the central role of mobile networks in Kenya's digital economy.
Key points
- Mobile subscriptions in Kenya have exceeded the country's population, with 87.999 million active subscriptions recorded.
- Smartphones have reached 52.26 million in Kenya, while feature phones declined to 27.42 million.
- Mobile-money subscriptions have reached 54 million, representing 101.3% penetration after growing 13.2% during the year.
