Mobile cellular subscriptions in Kenya
Kenya: Mobile cellular subscriptions was 71.38 million in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Mobile cellular subscriptions in Kenya, 1960–2024
Source: World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
Analysis
Kenya recorded 71.38 million for mobile cellular subscriptions in 2024. That is the highest value across all 53 years on record.
The figure is up 6.9% on the previous year and up 112.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mobile cellular subscriptions in Kenya peaked at 71.38 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1960.
That places Kenya 27th out of 214 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
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 | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 0 | — |
| 1965 | 0 | — |
| 1970 | 0 | — |
| 1975 | 0 | — |
| 1976 | 0 | — |
| 1977 | 0 | — |
| 1978 | 0 | — |
| 1979 | 0 | — |
| 1980 | 0 | — |
| 1981 | 0 | — |
| 1982 | 0 | — |
| 1983 | 0 | — |
| 1984 | 0 | — |
| 1985 | 0 | — |
| 1986 | 0 | — |
| 1987 | 0 | — |
| 1988 | 0 | — |
| 1989 | 0 | — |
| 1990 | 0 | — |
| 1991 | 0 | — |
| 1992 | 1,100 | — |
| 1993 | 1,162 | +5.6% |
| 1994 | 1,990 | +71.3% |
| 1995 | 2,279 | +14.5% |
| 1996 | 2,826 | +24.0% |
| 1997 | 6,767 | +139.5% |
| 1998 | 10,756 | +58.9% |
| 1999 | 23,757 | +120.9% |
| 2000 | 127,404 | +436.3% |
| 2001 | 600,000 | +370.9% |
| 2002 | 1.19 million | +97.9% |
| 2003 | 1.59 million | +34.0% |
| 2004 | 2.55 million | +60.1% |
| 2005 | 4.61 million | +81.1% |
| 2006 | 7.34 million | +59.2% |
| 2007 | 11.35 million | +54.6% |
| 2008 | 16.30 million | +43.7% |
| 2009 | 19.36 million | +18.8% |
| 2010 | 24.97 million | +28.9% |
| 2011 | 28.08 million | +12.5% |
| 2012 | 30.73 million | +9.4% |
| 2013 | 31.83 million | +3.6% |
| 2014 | 33.63 million | +5.7% |
| 2015 | 37.72 million | +12.1% |
| 2016 | 38.98 million | +3.4% |
| 2017 | 42.82 million | +9.8% |
| 2018 | 49.50 million | +15.6% |
| 2019 | 54.56 million | +10.2% |
| 2020 | 61.41 million | +12.6% |
| 2021 | 65.09 million | +6.0% |
| 2022 | 65.74 million | +1.0% |
| 2023 | 66.75 million | +1.5% |
| 2024 | 71.38 million | +6.9% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 71.38 million is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 12.17 million, 5.9× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 71.38 million is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 13.69 million, 5.2× 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 | +436.3% | 23,757 | 127,404 |
| 2001 | +370.9% | 127,404 | 600,000 |
| 1997 | +139.5% | 2,826 | 6,767 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1970s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| 1980s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1990s | 5,064 | 0 | 23,757 | 10 |
| 2000s | 6.50 million | 127,404 | 19.36 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 37.28 million | 24.97 million | 54.56 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 66.07 million | 61.41 million | 71.38 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
More infrastructure data for Kenya
- Mobile cellular subscriptions 126.48 per 100 people (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 71.38 million 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 71.38 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest mobile cellular subscriptions recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1960.
- How does Kenya rank for mobile cellular subscriptions?
- Kenya ranks 27th 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 112.2%. 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. 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.