The number of mobile data subscribers connected to the super-fast fifth-generation (5G) network in Kenya crossed the two-million mark in a milestone that signals enhanced consumer enthusiasm for high connectivity speeds.
Disclosure by the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) shows that the 5G subscriber base increased to 2.1 million in June 2026, up from 1.2 million a year earlier, representing a 75 percent rise as operators expand high-speed network infrastructure and users shift towards more demanding digital services.
The growth reflects a rapid expansion of 5G connectivity that had lifted subscriptions to 1.9 million by March this year, adding 170,656 users during the quarter to June, according to the CA.
The CA defines 5G subscribers as users with enabled devices who are consistently connected to the network, reflecting active adoption rather than mere device ownership.
The technology is much faster than the currently widespread 4G but requires more high-end smart gadgets in addition to expensive data bundles that are out of reach for the majority of users.
High-end smart devices and expensive data bundles remain a barrier to widespread 5G adoption, limiting access primarily to urban centres and higher-income consumers across Kenya.
The technology, however, remains a smaller segment of Kenya’s broader mobile broadband market, which remains dominated by the 4G network.
The CA’s latest sector statistics report for the period ended June shows total mobile data subscriptions climbed to 64.3 million, up 9.7 percent from the 58.6 million recorded in June 2025.
Mobile broadband subscriptions accounted for 85.5 percent of data subscriptions, with 4G remaining the most adopted broadband technology at 48.3 million users as consumers increasingly use internet-enabled services.
The Communications Authority of Kenya.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
The regulator’s report also records rising data consumption across 4G and 5G networks, alongside declining use of 3G, pointing to a gradual migration towards faster mobile technologies.
“Mobile data consumption (GB) 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,” said the CA.
The expansion of 5G is taking place as Kenya’s telecommunications market moves beyond basic connectivity towards services requiring higher speeds, lower latency and greater network capacity.
Businesses operating in streaming, cloud services, digital payments, online gaming and video-based communication are among those that can use improved connectivity to deliver data-intensive products.
CA’s latest data shows that Safaricom held the largest share of mobile broadband subscriptions at 64.4 percent, maintaining its long-held leading position in the market.
Safaricom launched 5G commercially in October 2022 after trials that started in March 2021 in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, and other urban areas with high data traffic.
Airtel Kenya joined the 5G rollout in mid-2023, initially surpassing Safaricom in the number of sites, before Safaricom expanded to 803 sites in March 2024 against Airtel’s 690.
5G adoption is expected to continue growing as operators expand coverage to secondary towns and offer more affordable bundles, making high-speed connectivity accessible to a wider segment of the population.
