This archive report was first published on 24 July 2019.
According to a report by the United States International University-Africa (USIU-Africa) SIMElab, social media consumption patterns in Kenya reveal a stark contrast between urban and rural residents. Published on July 24, 2019, the study found that low-middle income earners in Nairobi spend an average of three hours a day on social media, the largest chunk of time across eight counties surveyed.
Those in the middle income category, who earn between Sh50,000 and Sh99,999 a month, spend at least an hour a day on various platforms, with a majority using office Internet to access social media due to data costs. In contrast, the lower-middle income segment takes advantage of public wi-fi in malls, training institutions, and entertainment spots.
The study also highlighted differences in consumption patterns between urban and rural residents. A majority of Kenyans in rural areas use Facebook and WhatsApp, while urban residents prefer LinkedIn, Snapchat, Instagram, and Twitter. This disparity is attributed to the less developed technological infrastructure in rural areas, which prevents the use of high resource-demanding platforms like Snapchat and Instagram.
The report draws from a nationwide survey of social media consumption patterns among different demographic segments conducted between December 2018 and March 2019. It sampled 3,269 respondents aged 14 to 55.
