The latest ICT sector report underscores the country’s remarkable progress towards a fully digital economy — a shift with profound social and economic implications

Kenya’s Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) has unveiled the latest Sector Statistics Report, covering the period from January to March 2025. The report shows that the sector is not just expanding—it's transforming how Kenyans live, work, and connect, signaling the country’s accelerating shift towards a fully digital economy.

At the heart of this surge is a record-breaking 76.16 million mobile (SIM) subscriptions, marking a 6.7% increase and pushing the mobile penetration rate to an impressive 145.3%. This figure—well above the 100% mark—reflects a growing trend of individuals using multiple SIM cards to maximize coverage and services, underscoring the deepening role of mobile technology in daily life.

Equally striking is the rise of machine-to-machine (M2M) subscriptions, which grew by 3.5% to nearly 2 million. This growth points to Kenya’s expanding adoption of Internet of Things (IoT) solutions, laying the groundwork for smarter cities, connected homes, and more efficient industries.

Mobile money services—long considered a backbone of Kenya’s digital economy—continued their steady ascent. Subscriptions surged by 7.2% to reach 45.36 million, while the number of mobile money agents rose by 5.5% to 416,994. This robust growth reflects not only the ongoing shift towards cashless transactions but also the critical role mobile money plays in deepening financial inclusion and empowering small businesses across the country.

Internet connectivity saw parallel gains. Mobile data subscriptions climbed to 57.18 million (a 1.9% increase), while mobile broadband subscriptions grew by 2.4% to 44.44 million. Importantly, the quarter also recorded a continued rise in smartphone adoption, with numbers up by 2.1% to 42.35 million. Feature phones, too, saw a notable 6.5% rise to 32.5 million. Together, these trends pushed overall mobile device penetration to 143%, with smartphones and feature phones accounting for 80.8% and 62.2%, respectively. This widespread device adoption is unlocking new possibilities in areas like e-learning, e-commerce, and telemedicine, helping bridge the urban-rural digital divide.

Shifts in communication habits were also evident. Domestic voice traffic increased, with on-net calls up 5.4% to 24.36 billion minutes and off-net calls rising by 5.1%. On-net SMS volumes grew by 2.8%, while off-net SMS traffic dropped by 7.7%, reflecting the migration to internet-based messaging apps like WhatsApp and Telegram.

As Kenya’s digital footprint grows, so does the importance of safeguarding it. The report highlights a dramatic 201.7% increase in cyber threats detected by the National Kenya Computer Incident Response Team (KE-CIRT), which recorded 2.5 billion incidents. In response, 13.2 million cyber threat advisories were issued, a 14.2% rise, underscoring the critical need for heightened cybersecurity awareness and investment to protect digital gains.

Looking ahead, Kenya’s vibrant ICT sector promises to drive even greater opportunities for entrepreneurs, businesses, and communities nationwide. The latest CA report not only reaffirms the sector’s role as a catalyst for economic growth and digital inclusion but also highlights the urgent need to ensure that progress is both inclusive and secure.

Hikmatu Bilali