This archive report was first published on 23 June 2020.
Published on June 23, 2020, a report by Airtel Africa revealed that Kenya's mobile phone ownership stands at 62%, the highest in the region.
This statistic, which takes into account the impact of multiple SIM cards ownership, indicates a significant growth opportunity for mobile service providers.
Kenya's unique mobile penetration is ahead of Zambia (54%), Tanzania (49%), Nigeria (45%), Uganda (42%), and Democratic Republic of Congo (39%).
The Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) counts multiple SIM cards, which led to the country's mobile uptake being placed at 114.8% in the quarter ended December 2019.
Airtel's report on unique mobile penetration, defined as the number of mobile phone owners as a percentage of the total population, is derived from market analysts.
The finding shows the extent of multiple SIM card ownership, attributed to subscribers seeking to benefit from lower prices by rival telecommunications firms.
For instance, Airtel found that there were 55 million SIM cards in the year ended December 2019, exceeding the country's population of 49 million people in the same period.
“Mobile (SIM) penetration in the country remains high partly due to multiple SIM ownership by consumers,” CA said in its report for the quarter ended December 2019.
“Moreover, because Kenyan consumers are becoming more price-point sensitive, they are likely to continue acquiring multiple SIM cards in a bid to benefit from the various special plans offered by various operators,” the report added.
