Kenya’s shift towards faster mobile internet has gathered pace, with the number of active 5G subscriptions rising to 2.1 million by June 2026 as consumers and businesses increase their use of data-intensive services.
The latest figures from the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) show that the 5G subscriber base grew from about 1.2 million in June 2025, translating into a 69 per cent increase within one year.
The growth continued during the April-June quarter, when the number of subscriptions rose from 1.9 million in March to about 2.1 million by June. This means operators added roughly 170,000 5G users during the three-month period.
The CA counts 5G subscribers as customers with compatible devices who are actively connected to a 5G network. Merely owning a handset that supports the technology does not qualify a user as an active 5G subscriber.
5G offers higher speeds and lower latency than 4G, making it suitable for activities that require faster and more reliable connections. However, the cost of 5G-compatible smartphones and data bundles remains a barrier to wider access.
The technology has therefore gained greater use among customers in urban centres and those who can afford more expensive smartphones and data packages.
Even with the rapid increase, 5G remains a small portion of Kenya’s overall mobile broadband market. The majority of subscribers continue to rely on 4G, which had about 48 million subscriptions by June.
Overall mobile data subscriptions reached 64.3 million during the period, compared with 58.6 million a year earlier. The figure represents a 9.7 per cent increase in 12 months.
Mobile broadband made up 85.5 per cent of the total data subscriptions, with the continued growth of 4G and 5G coming alongside a decline in 3G usage.
The CA said the changing pattern shows that more subscribers are moving towards faster mobile broadband services as their data needs increase.
"Mobile data consumption across 4G and 5G networks maintained an upward trend during the period under review while 3G data consumption continued to decline as subscribers increasingly preferred high-speed mobile broadband services" the CA said.
The difference in data use between the technologies was particularly wide, with a 5G subscriber consuming an average of 64.4GB during the period.
This compared with an average of 15.8GB for a 4G subscriber and 8.3GB for a 3G subscriber.
The higher consumption on 5G reflects the growing use of services that require large amounts of data, including video streaming, cloud computing, digital payments, online gaming and video conferencing.
Safaricom continued to hold the largest share of Kenya’s mobile broadband market, accounting for 64.4 per cent of subscriptions, according to the regulator.
The operator launched its commercial 5G service in October 2022 after starting trials in March 2021. Airtel Kenya followed with its 5G rollout in 2023.
The increase in subscriptions comes as mobile operators continue to put money into network infrastructure and expand high-speed connectivity.
The CA said its quarterly sector statistics are based on information provided by communications service providers and are used to track developments and performance across Kenya’s communications industry.
The pace at which 5G expands will depend on several factors, including wider network coverage, access to compatible devices and the cost of data services.
Operators are expected to continue expanding high-speed connectivity as they seek to take 5G services beyond Kenya’s main urban centres and reach more users.