Safaricom tightens grip on Kenya mobile market, adds 5.5 million subscribers

Safaricom has strengthened its dominance in Kenya’s telecommunications sector after adding 5.5 million subscribers in the third quarter of the 2025/26 financial year, raising its customer base to 57.9 million, according to the latest Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) statistics.

The growth came as Kenya’s mobile market expanded to 84.1 million active subscriptions during the period under review, representing a 7.4 per cent increase and lifting mobile penetration to 157.7 per cent, the report shows.

Safaricom maintained a commanding 68.9 per cent market share, widening its lead over Airtel, which reported 23.2 million subscribers. Equitel, Jamii Telecommunications and Telkom Kenya shared the remainder of the market.

The CA attributed the sector’s expansion to aggressive customer win-back campaigns by operators, falling device costs, expansion of high-speed mobile infrastructure, and the growing reliance on mobile-based services across Kenya’s economy and society.

The report also highlights a continued shift toward smartphones, which now account for 63.7 per cent of mobile devices connected to networks, reflecting rising demand for data services and digital connectivity.

In the mobile broadband segment, Kenya recorded 62.6 million subscriptions, with Safaricom retaining leadership at 62.7 per cent market share. The operator also maintained a strong position in mobile money services, controlling 89.1 per cent of active subscriptions in a segment that grew to 53.4 million users.

In the fixed data segment, Safaricom led with a 35.4 per cent market share, ahead of Jamii Telecommunications (19.5 per cent), Wananchi Group (10.4 per cent), and Poa Internet Kenya (9.7 per cent). Smaller providers such as Ahadi Wireless (9.2 per cent), Vilcom Network (6.0 per cent) and Mawingu Networks (3.7 per cent) continued to serve niche markets, while Starlink accounted for a marginal 0.9 per cent.

The CA report further shows that domestic voice and SMS traffic remains heavily concentrated on Safaricom’s network, underscoring its continued influence across multiple communication segments.

The strong performance cements Safaricom’s position as Kenya’s leading integrated telecommunications operator, benefiting from expanding digital adoption, increased connectivity demand and the rapid growth of mobile-driven financial and communication services.