Editor's Review

A new report by KNBS and CAK has shown that men own and use mobile phones and the internet at slightly higher rates than women.

A new report by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) and the Communications Authority of Kenya (CAK) has shown that men own mobile phones and use the internet at slightly higher rates than women.

According to the findings drawn from the 2023/24 Kenya Housing Survey, 53.7 percent of Kenyans own a mobile phone, with male ownership at 54.5 percent compared to 52.9 percent for females.

On the other hand, mobile phone usage stands at 64.9 percent nationally, with men registering 65.5 percent and women 64.4 percent.

Internet usage follows a similar pattern; nationally, 35 percent of individuals use the internet, with 37.8 percent of men and 32.2 percent of women reporting online activity.

Among the youth aged 18 to 34 years, internet usage is significantly higher at 58.6 percent, with 62.3 percent of men connected compared to 54.8 percent of women. 

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File image of a user scrolling social media apps on his phone

In addition, mobile ownership in this age group stands at 81.5 percent overall, with 82.4 percent for men and 80.7 percent for women.

Computer usage remains comparatively low, with just 11.6 percent of Kenyans using a computer; 13.1 percent among men and 10.1 percent among women.

According to the KNBS findings, household-level data shows that 93.8 percent of Kenyan households own a mobile phone, with urban households leading at 97.6% percent.

Internet usage by age reveals that adoption peaks at 59.3 percent among 25–34-year-olds, followed by 47.1 percent for the 35–44 age group and 46.6 percent for those aged 15–24. 

On the flip side, usage drops sharply among older age brackets, with only 4.4 percent of those aged 85 and above online.

In terms of county comparisons, Nairobi is leading in both mobile phone ownership (67.7%) and internet usage (64.7%). 

Other counties with high mobile ownership include Kirinyaga (65%), Nyandarua (63.9%), Murang’a (62.3%), and Kiambu (62.1%). 

At the lower end, West Pokot records the lowest ownership at 29%, followed by Turkana (29.4%), Marsabit (34.8%), Tana River (35.5%), and Samburu (36.8%).

For internet usage, Kiambu (54%), Nyeri (50.1%), Mombasa (46.9%), and Uasin Gishu (35%) follow Nairobi at the top. 

Counties with the lowest connectivity include West Pokot (9.1%), Turkana (12.7%), Tana River (15.5%), Marsabit (16.3%), and Garissa (16.5%).