Safaricom’s market share declines further in Q3 as Airtel gains momentum in Kenya

In the latest Sector Statistics report from the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA), Safaricom experienced a consecutive decline in subscriber market share for the quarter ending in September. The report notes a 0.4% drop in Safaricom’s SIM subscriptions, reaching 65.7% market share, while its broadband subscriptions decreased by 0.9% to 61.9%.

“Safaricom PLC and Telkom Kenya LTD lost their market shares in Mobile (SIM) and broadband Subscriptions as Airtel Networks gain in both areas,” the CA report stated.

The report shows that in September, Kenya had 67.1 million total mobile subscriptions with Safaricom leading with 44.1 million subscribers (43 million prepaid subscribers).

Safaricom market share dips despite gains

Despite gaining 200,000 subscribers, Safaricom’s market share dipped from 66.1% to 65.7%. Similarly, Telkom Kenya saw a decline, finishing with 2.1 million subscribers and dropping from 3.8% to 3.1% market share. In contrast, Airtel Networks gained ground, increasing its subscriber market share from 27.2% to 28.2%, adding 800,000 new subscribers for a total of 18.9 million.

Still on this, the Q1 Sector Statistics for the financial year 2023/2024 reveal that mobile money penetration in Kenya has reached 75.2%, involving 38.1 million subscriptions. This signifies a 0.1% uptick in the penetration rate from the previous quarter, accompanied by a growth in mobile money agents to 338,209.

According to a report from Techweez, Safaricom’s M-PESA maintains a dominant position, holding a 97% share of the mobile money market. Airtel Money follows with a 2.9% share, while Telkom’s T-Kash lags behind with a 0.1% market share.

Read More: Safaricom’s profit surges by 2.1% after 2-year slump, fueled by M-Pesa growth

Kenya witnesses surge in smartphone adoption, propelling 4G subscriptions to the forefront

Furthermore, the CA report reveals that for the first time, the quantity of smartphones in Kenya surpasses that of feature phones.

The latest data from the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) indicates a notable shift as 32,631,924 smartphone users now outnumber 32,040,928 feature phone users in the country. This surge represents an increase of 1,838,529 smartphone users from the previous quarter’s 30,793,395.

The momentum in smartphone adoption has also contributed to the growth of 4G subscriptions, currently leading with 23.9 million subscriptions. This is followed by 2G and 3G at 14.7 million and 10.2 million subscriptions, respectively.

While 5G subscriptions in Kenya stand at 509,737, trailing behind other African countries like South Africa and Nigeria, analysts anticipate a significant rise. MediaTek predicts that Kenya will account for more than half of Africa’s 5G mobile subscriptions by 2026.

Despite the buzz around 5G, major Kenyan telecom companies remain committed to expanding their 4G networks. The country boasts over 103,000 3G/4G Base Station Transceivers. Notably, Telkom Kenya has extended its 4G coverage to the Coast and Lower Eastern regions, including Mombasa, Kilifi, Kwale, Lamu, Taita Taveta, Makueni, Machakos, Kitui, and Kajiado Counties.

Read More: Kenya’s Safaricom fires 33 staff members over corruption and fraud allegations