CA Reports: Kenya’s Mobile Penetration Hits 145% as IoT Rises, Cyber Threats Surge
Mobile money, long a cornerstone of Kenya’s financial inclusion strategy, saw robust growth, with subscriptions rising by 7.2% to 45.36 million and registered agents increasing to over 416,000.
Kenya’s ICT sector continues to demonstrate strong momentum, with the latest Q3 Sector Statistics Report (Jan–Mar 2025) from the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA ) highlighting key gains in mobile technology, machine-to-machine (M2M) connections, and cybersecurity response.
Mobile subscriptions reached an all-time high of 76.16 million, pushing the penetration rate to 145.3%—a clear indicator of mobile’s expanding role in Kenyan life. Machine-to-machine (M2M) subscriptions grew by 3.5%, nearing the 2 million mark, underscoring Kenya’s rising adoption of IoT and smart tech integration across sectors.
Mobile money, long a cornerstone of Kenya’s financial inclusion strategy, saw robust growth, with subscriptions rising by 7.2% to 45.36 million and registered agents increasing to over 416,000. This continued trust in mobile platforms is fuelling both local commerce and digital access.
The shift toward smarter connectivity was also evident in device trends. Smartphone adoption rose to 42.35 million, while feature phone usage increased to 32.5 million, indicating more citizens are leveraging advanced mobile services such as e-learning, e-commerce, and digital banking.
On the cybersecurity front, Kenya recorded a sharp 201.7% spike in detected cyber threats, totalling 2.5 billion incidents, while advisories issued rose by 14.2% to 13.2 million. This surge highlights the urgent need for resilient digital infrastructure as adoption accelerates.
Additional insights from the report include:
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Mobile data subscriptions rose to 57.18 million (+1.9%)
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Mobile broadband subscriptions hit 44.44 million (+2.4%)
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On-net domestic voice traffic reached 24.36 billion minutes (+5.4%)
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International incoming voice traffic rose sharply by 14.4%
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In-bound roaming data volumes increased by 10.6%, reflecting a rebound in tourism
While the postal and courier sector saw mixed performance—with a sharp drop in domestic letters and parcels—the digital shift remains clear.
With rising mobile access, deeper IoT penetration, and expanded digital services, Kenya’s ICT sector remains a continental leader, offering vast opportunities for telcos, fintechs, and infrastructure providers across Africa.
