Mobile Phone Ownership in Kenya by County - Statistics

In Kenya, a person is said to own a mobile phone if he or she owns a mobile cellular phone with an active SIM card for personal use.^[1]

One also owns a mobile phone if the phone is supplied by an employer, but is instead used for personal reasons, such as accessing the Internet and making phone calls.

A person is still considered to own a mobile phone even when it is not registered to them but is used for personal reasons. For example, a child could own a phone registered under their parents. 

Mobile phone ownership excludes anyone with a SIM card but not a mobile phone. 

Quick Facts

1. The percentage of individuals who owned a mobile in Kenya was 53.7% in 2024.
2. Mobile phone ownership in Kenya was highest among adults aged 25 to 64.
3. Mobile phone ownership was highest among individuals with higher education at 98.5%.
4. Mobile ownership in Kenya was highest among those who were married and monogamous at 89.1%.
5. Mobile ownership among people with disabilities was highest among those with mobility disabilities at 69.7%.
6. Mobile phone ownership was highest in Nairobi County at 67.7%.

More than half of Kenyans owned a mobile phone.

In 2024, 53.7% of individuals aged three and above in Kenya owned a mobile phone.

The proportion of males who owned a mobile phone was 54.5%, while the proportion of females who owned a mobile phone was 52.9%.

Compared to the 2019 census, the Kenya Housing Survey 2023/2024 shows a 6.4% increase in mobile phone ownership in Kenya.

In 2019, less than half (47.3%) of individuals aged 3 years and above owned a mobile phone.^[2]

The census also found that 47.3% of males owned a mobile phone in 2019 compared to 54.5% in 2024.

Among females, 47% owned a mobile phone in 2019 compared to 52.9% in 2024.

Mobile phone ownership in Kenya was highest in urban areas

The proportion of individuals in Kenya who owned mobile phones was higher in urban areas than in rural areas.

In urban areas, 63.7% of individuals aged 3 years and above owned a mobile phone.

65.6% of males living in urban areas owned mobile phones, and 64.6% of females owned mobile phones.

In rural areas, 47.9% of individuals aged 3 years and above owned a mobile phone.

Among males, 49.3% owned mobile phones, while among females, 48.6% owned mobile phones.

Mobile phone ownership in Kenya was highest among adults aged 25 to 64.

Mobile phone ownership in Kenya was highest among individuals aged 35 – 44 at 89.5%.

Mobile ownership among individuals aged 25 – 34 was 88.7%, while among those aged 45 – 54 was 88.7%. 

Mobile ownership among males and females is almost the same in younger age groups, depicting significant equality.

In older age groups, there is an increasing disparity in mobile phone ownership between men and women.

For instance, 80.5% of men aged 65 – 74 owned mobile phones, compared to 71.3% of women.

Similarly, mobile phone ownership among men aged 75 – 84 years was 72.8%, compared to 51.6% of women.

Mobile phone ownership was highest among individuals with higher education

In 2024, 98.5% of individuals with a higher education owned mobile phones. Ownership was the same for both men and women.

Mobile phone ownership was also high among individuals with a post-primary and secondary education at 91.6% and 75.3% respectively.

In contrast, mobile phone ownership in Kenya was lowest among individuals with low educational attainment.

For instance, only 1.3% of individuals with a pre-primary education owned a mobile phone.

Similarly, 8.7% of individuals with special education owned a mobile phone, 28.6% with Madrassa education, and 33.7% without education. 

Mobile phone ownership in Kenya was highest among individuals who were married and monogamous.

Monogamous marriages show lower levels of poverty than polygamous unions. In this survey, monogamous marriages had higher rates of mobile phone ownership.^[3]

In 2024, 89.1% of individuals aged 12 years and above owned a mobile phone, compared to 76% of those who were married polygamous.

Among the separated, 83.4% owned mobile phones, while among the divorced, 83.9% owned mobile phones.

In 2024, 75.7% of widows and widowers owned mobile phones.

Mobile phone ownership in Kenya was the lowest among the never-married category at 59.9% in 2024.

Mobile phone ownership among Kenyans living with disabilities was highest among those with mobility disabilities.

Mobile phone ownership among Kenyans aged 5 years and above living with disabilities differed by disability domain.

In 2024, 69.7% of individuals with mobility disabilities owned a mobile phone, followed by 68.8% of those with visual disabilities. 

Mobile phone ownership was lowest among those with hearing and self-care disabilities. Of those with hearing disabilities, 36.1% owned mobile phones, and 35.8% owned mobile phones.

Mobile phone ownership in Kenya by county

Counties differed in their rates of mobile phone ownership. In Nairobi County, 67.7% of individuals aged 3 years and above owned mobile phones in 2024.

The top 10 counties by mobile phone ownership in Kenya include:

1. Nairobi 67.7%
2. Kirinyaga 65%
3. Nyandarua 63.9%
4. Murang’a 62.1%
5. Kiambu 62.1%
6. Nyeri 61%
7. Machakos 60.9%
8. Taita Taveta 60.3%
9. Embu 60%
10. Tharaka Nithi 59.3%

The top 10 counties with the lowest mobile phone ownership in Kenya include:

1. West Pokot 29%
2. Turkana 29.4%
3. Marsabit 34.8%
4. Tana River 35.5%
5. Samburu 36.8%
6. Narok 39.3%
7. Kwale 42.7%
8. Mandera 43.4%
9. Migori 43.5%
10. Wajir 43.9%

See Also

1. Access to electricity in Kenya by County
2. Access to electricity in Kenya by Constituency
3. Access to the internet in Kenya by County

References