Digital spending in Kenya fell to Sh6.08 billion in the three months ended December 2025.
Advertising spending by Kenyan businesses on digital platforms fell 48.3 per cent to Sh6.08 billion in the three months ended December 2025, down from Sh11.76 billion in the previous quarter, signalling a significant pullback by brands.
The performance defied expectations of higher ad spend in the fourth quarter of the year, which is normally associated with increased consumer spending around holidays including Christmas.
The contraction came even as digital platforms remain central to advertising strategies with the growth of various platforms including online publications, Youtube and social media sites like Facebook.
Fresh industry data shows that despite the decline, digital advertising remains heavily concentrated on Meta platforms Facebook and Instagram, whose combined share of the total spend stood at 65 per cent during the review period.
Meta platforms – Facebook and Instagram – dominate digital advertising in Kenya.
According to the data, Facebook controlled 43 per cent of digital advertising expenditure while Instagram bagged 22 per cent, reinforcing the group’s dominance in Kenya’s online marketing ecosystem.
“Digital advertising spend is heavily concentrated on Meta platforms, which together account for over three-fifths of total digital investment, confirming their position as the most preferred channels among advertisers,” notes the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA).
The concentration underscores the limited diversification of digital advertising channels, with brands continuing to favour platforms offering scale and measurable engagement.
Audience data further shows that Facebook and WhatsApp remain the most widely used social media platforms in Kenya, with penetration rates of 69.9 per cent and 56 per cent respectively. TikTok and YouTube follow at 29.7 per cent and 26.6 per cent, reflecting their growing influence particularly among younger users and content-driven audiences.
“Facebook and WhatsApp emerge as the most widely used social media platforms in Kenya, with TikTok and YouTube following closely behind,” notes the CA. Globally, Meta and Google dominate online advertising, leveraging their billions of users, precise targeting capabilities and user data.
Follow our WhatsApp channel for breaking news updates and more stories like this.
