Kenyans are confirmed to have imported up to KES 4.9 billion worth of mobile devices and laptops in April 2024, hitting a new record for the highest ever in a single month. This was confirmed by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) who started collecting this category of data in January 2017.
As reported by Business Daily, this new record translates a 58% increase from the KES 3.1 billion worth of gadgets shipped into the Kenyan market in April 2023.
This obviously shows an increased demand for these devices reflecting a population that’s becoming more tech-savvy over time. Moreover, the record number is more than double the KES 2.4 billion that was recorded in March this year.
It is undeniable that more and more Kenyans have been acquiring cellular devices as smartphone penetration and internet usage continues to rise across the country. This is refelcted majorly through the young population, who demand for these devices for everyday use whether it is for work, school or leisure. And with the economy continuing to become more digital, the older generation have also continued to become more tech-savvy in order to navigate as well.
While there are no official projections, it is quite clear that these numbers might hit new records in the near future. The main shareholders in the tech industry like telcos and device manufacturers continue to make tech more accessible through internet coverage expansion and sale offers for the mobile devices.
The other main factor believed to have contrbuted to this spike the COVID-19 outbreak in Kenya that accelerated the need for digital services like remote working, e-learning, online delivery and more.
