Johannesburg: AfricUpdate – News Desk
The Analytical Report on ICT Based on the 2023/24 Kenya Housing Survey, which covers ICT ownership, usage and smart technology adoption, shows marked disparities between urban and rural communities, and among income groups. It also indicates that there is higher ICT adoption strongly linked to income, education, and reliable electricity. The report further shows that people living with disabilities, the elderly, and those with limited schooling face greater digital exclusion.
According to the report, 53.7% of Kenyans aged three years and above own a mobile phone, with urban areas leading at 64.6% ownership compared to 48.6% in rural areas. In terms of gender, the report shows a minimal gender gap in mobile ownership, with males reported at 54.5% compared to 52.9% of females. The report, which surveyed 25,000 households across the 47 Counties, indicates that mobile phone usage stood at 64.9% at the national level, with 65.5 males and 64.4 females using mobile phones, respectively.
While mobile ownership is associated with a range of benefits such as unrestricted use of digital services, communication, and financial inclusion, the report indicates that a portion of the population continued to use mobile services through shared arrangements, highlighting underlying inequalities in digital inclusion. Nationally, 11.3% of individuals reported using a mobile phone without owning one, with a slightly higher proportion among females at 11.5%, compared to males at 11.0%.
Mobile phone sharing was marginally higher in urban areas at 11.8%, with 12.4% of females and 11.2% of males using phones they did not own. About 35.0% of Kenyans now use the Internet, with youth aged 18-34 leading the digital adoption race, with over 80% owning a mobile phone and 58.6 using the Internet. The report shows that unserved and underserved counties have the least mobile phone ownership, with West Pokot County recording the lowest at 29%, followed by Turkana 29.4 %, Marsabit 34.8%, Tana River 35.5% and Samburu 36.8%.
Nairobi City County leads in mobile ownership at 67.7%, followed by Kirinyaga with 65.0% and Nyandarua at 63.9% in second and third positions, with Muranga and Kiambu sealing the top five at 62.3 and 62.1% ownership, respectively. In terms of internet usage, Nairobi is ranked first at 64.7%, followed by Kiambu 54.0%, Nyeri 50.1%, Mombasa 46.9%, and Uasin Gishu 42.1%. West Pokot 9.1%, Turkana 12.7%, Tana River 15.5%, Marsabit 16.3% and Garissa 16.5% Counties recorded the least Internet usage.
