This archive report was first published on 5 September 2019.
Published on September 5, 2019, a Deloitte survey revealed a significant shift in communication trends in Kenya. Voice calls, once the dominant form of communication, are now on the decline as customers increasingly turn to instant messaging apps.
Between 2015 and 2018, voice calls grew by only 10% from 51% to 61%, while instant messaging increased from 43% to 74%. Emails also saw a significant shift, growing by 29% from 28% to 57%.
Instant messaging apps like WhatsApp have become increasingly popular, with 87% of users accessing the platform every day. Facebook also saw significant usage, with 69% of users between 25 and 34 years old and 80% of users between 35 and 45 years old using the platform.
The shift in communication trends is also reflected in the growth of internet-based platforms. Voice calls via the internet showed 17% growth, while video calls jumped from 10% to 37%.
The decline of voice calls has significant implications for Kenyan telcos. Safaricom's voice revenue reduced from 47.1% of their total service revenue in 2015 to 36.6% in 2018. In contrast, mobile data revenue rose from 11.9% to 16.1% of their service revenue for the two years.
As a result, telcos with the best network penetration and fastest internet speeds are likely to attract more customers. Investing in 4G penetration and providing or promoting content sharing are key strategies for telcos to adapt to the changing communication landscape.
