Mobile cellular subscriptions in Kenya
Kenya: Mobile cellular subscriptions was 126.48 per 100 people in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Mobile cellular subscriptions in Kenya, 1960–2024
Source: World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Measured in per 100 people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for mobile cellular subscriptions in Kenya is 126.48 per 100 people, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 53 years on record.
The figure is up 4.9% on the previous year and up 73.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mobile cellular subscriptions in Kenya peaked at 126.48 per 100 people in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0 per 100 people, in 1960.
That places Kenya 69th out of 214 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Mobile cellular subscriptions in Kenya, year by year
| Year | per 100 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1965 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1970 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1975 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1976 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1977 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1978 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1979 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1980 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1981 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1982 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1983 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1984 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1985 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1986 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1987 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1988 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1989 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1990 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1991 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1992 | 0.0045 per 100 people | — |
| 1993 | 0.0046 per 100 people | +2.6% |
| 1994 | 0.0076 per 100 people | +66.4% |
| 1995 | 0.0085 per 100 people | +11.3% |
| 1996 | 0.0102 per 100 people | +20.7% |
| 1997 | 0.0239 per 100 people | +133.1% |
| 1998 | 0.0369 per 100 people | +54.7% |
| 1999 | 0.0793 per 100 people | +114.8% |
| 2000 | 0.4158 per 100 people | +424.4% |
| 2001 | 1.9 per 100 people | +356.4% |
| 2002 | 3.64 per 100 people | +91.7% |
| 2003 | 4.73 per 100 people | +29.9% |
| 2004 | 7.33 per 100 people | +55.2% |
| 2005 | 12.88 per 100 people | +75.7% |
| 2006 | 19.89 per 100 people | +54.4% |
| 2007 | 29.84 per 100 people | +50.0% |
| 2008 | 41.58 per 100 people | +39.4% |
| 2009 | 47.92 per 100 people | +15.2% |
| 2010 | 60.02 per 100 people | +25.3% |
| 2011 | 65.67 per 100 people | +9.4% |
| 2012 | 70.02 per 100 people | +6.6% |
| 2013 | 70.75 per 100 people | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 73.03 per 100 people | +3.2% |
| 2015 | 80.1 per 100 people | +9.7% |
| 2016 | 80.98 per 100 people | +1.1% |
| 2017 | 87.03 per 100 people | +7.5% |
| 2018 | 98.59 per 100 people | +13.3% |
| 2019 | 106.55 per 100 people | +8.1% |
| 2020 | 117.6 per 100 people | +10.4% |
| 2021 | 122.3 per 100 people | +4.0% |
| 2022 | 121.17 per 100 people | -0.9% |
| 2023 | 120.61 per 100 people | -0.5% |
| 2024 | 126.48 per 100 people | +4.9% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 126.48 per 100 people is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 97.13 per 100 people, 1.3× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 126.48 per 100 people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 93.72 per 100 people, 1.3× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Mobile cellular subscriptions in Kenya changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | +424.4% | 0.0793 per 100 people | 0.4158 per 100 people |
| 2001 | +356.4% | 0.4158 per 100 people | 1.9 per 100 people |
| 1997 | +133.1% | 0.0102 per 100 people | 0.0239 per 100 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 2 |
| 1970s | 0 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 6 |
| 1980s | 0 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.0175 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 0.0793 per 100 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 17.01 per 100 people | 0.4158 per 100 people | 47.92 per 100 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 79.27 per 100 people | 60.02 per 100 people | 106.55 per 100 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 121.63 per 100 people | 117.6 per 100 people | 126.48 per 100 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
More infrastructure data for Kenya
- Mobile cellular subscriptions 71.38 million (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 57,017 (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 0.101 per 100 people (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per capita 0.001 units per person (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, annual growth rate -15.95 % change on previous year (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, gaps filled 57,017 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per capita 1.26 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0.0006 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, gaps filled 71.38 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mobile cellular subscriptions in Kenya?
- Mobile cellular subscriptions in Kenya was 126.48 per 100 people in 2024, according to World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
- What is the highest mobile cellular subscriptions recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 126.48 per 100 people in 2024.
- What is the lowest mobile cellular subscriptions recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 per 100 people in 1960.
- How does Kenya rank for mobile cellular subscriptions?
- Kenya ranks 69th out of 214 countries with data for 2024.
- Is mobile cellular subscriptions rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 73.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Kenya data come from?
- The figures come from World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU), published as part of Mobile cellular subscriptions (per 100 people). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 53 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Mobile cellular telephone subscriptions are subscriptions to a public mobile telephone service that provide access to the PSTN using cellular technology. The indicator includes (and is split into) the number of postpaid subscriptions, and the number of active prepaid accounts (i.e. that have been used during the last three months). The indicator applies to all mobile cellular subscriptions that offer voice communications. It excludes subscriptions via data cards or USB modems, subscriptions to public mobile data services, private trunked mobile radio, telepoint, radio paging and telemetry services.