The Communications Authority of Kenya highlighted substantial growth in the usage of mobile phones within the country.
The CA report for the second quarter of the 2024/25 fiscal year indicates that Kenya’s smartphone sector remains robust, reflecting how essential mobile tech has become in everyday activities, with approximately 72 million units in circulation.
As noted by CA, the swift adoption of smartphones can be attributed to the extensive growth of mobile broadband networks nationwide, which now covers 97.0 percent of the population.
The governing body further noted that the greater accessibility and lower costs of smartphones, along with the heightened requirement for accessing digital services, have resulted in a significant increase in smartphone adoption within the nation.
CA, nonetheless, specified that these statistics reflect the count of mobile phones linked to the networks and must not be conflated with the rate of phone ownership within the nation.
Most popular mobile phone brands in Kenya
The increasing demand for smartphones has led to a rise in the number of firms vying for supremacy in Kenya’s mobile market.
Based on recent data from Statcounter, Samsung dominates Kenya’s mobile market with around 28% of the market share as of early 2025.
The widespread appeal of this major South Korean technology company can be linked to its extensive lineup of products, spanning cost-effective options all the way up to high-end flagships such as the Galaxy S series, thus appealing to Kenya’s varied customer market.
Tecno, a subsidiary of Transsion Holdings that holds approximately 16.5% of the market share, ranks second. Following close behind is Infinix, another brand under Transsion, with around 8% of the market. Itel, yet another brand within the Transsion group, secures a modest but significant portion of the market as well.
The Chinese technology innovator Xiaomi has similarly gained substantial ground, capturing around 5% of the market share in Kenya. This achievement can be attributed to the brand’s strategic increase in both physical retail outlets and online accessibility within the country.
- Samsung – 27.66%
- Tecno – 16.14%
- Infinix – 8.75%
- OPPO – 8.39%
- HMD Global (Nokia) – 7.74%
- Xiaomi – 5.23%
- Apple – 4.43%
- Itel – 3.41%
- Huawei – 2.48%
- Approximately 15.77% of the market is held by other brands and participants in the market.
