Data consumption in Kenya is expected to hit the 1 billion gigabyte mark by 2022 with more Kenyans now consuming mobile content. This is according to Nendo’s State of Mobile Data 2019 report released recently.
The report notes that in 2018 Kenyans consumed 269 million Gigabytes of data with mobile subscriptions accounting for the majority of internet connections. A total number of mobile subscribers in Kenya stands at 45.5 million as of June 2019 according to the Communications Authority of Kenya (CAK). This basically means 97.8 per cent of the country’s population is own a mobile phone and this clearly explains why data consumption is rising rapidly.
So what do Kenyans do online or what do they use this connectivity for? Well, according to Nendo, Kenyans are always online accessing news, information, entertainment and various services. Nendo lists down 5S which basically highlights the top services Kenyans access online. They include search with Kenyans always on Google, which is the most visited site in the country. Kenyans also use their data for online betting. In fact, SportPesa has been the most “Googled” word by Kenyans every year from 2016 to 2018. This should not actually be a surprise. Online betting rising in Africa at an unprecedented pace and although as much as 40% of the African population is said to be below the poverty line, the continent is also emerging as one of the most lucrative sports betting markets in the world.
Kenyans also use their connectivity to visit social media sites. Facebook is the second most visited site in Kenya and also the largest social site with over 8.5 million users. Social media is huge in Kenya with most people using it to connect with friends or articulate issues affecting the society. Then there’s sex. Did you know Kenya has two adult websites in its top 10 most visited sites? According to Nendo, this is greater than any other East and Central African country. A huge number of users use their data to access these sites.
Kenya has in recent times also experienced a growing appetite for content spanning news, entertainment and video. Digital technology has created many choices for how Kenyans find, consume, and share content on mobile. Nendo notes that the vertical photo/video format “Stories” is also increasing in popularity and this is also where the data consumption also goes.
Bottom line, mobile devices have become one of the most common ways Kenyans get news, outpacing desktop or laptop computers.
In 2017, Zenith’s Media Consumption Forecasts predicted that mobile internet use will account for 26% of global media consumption by 2019 as people are increasingly using their mobile phones to consume media. The forecast revealed that people around the world will spend an average of 122 minutes a day accessing the mobile internet via browsers and apps, an amount that has grown from just ten minutes a day since 2010.
Nendo is a digital firm that delivers results for leaders and teams through its Advisory, Agency and Academy services. The consultancy is focused on customer insight, competitive intelligence and data analysis.
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