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Only 10% of Kenyan Households Have a Computer: New Data Reveals Digital Access Crisis

Sakwa Kombo by Sakwa Kombo
January 16, 2025
in News
Reading Time: 5 mins read
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Mobile Phones Reach Most Kenyans, but Internet Access Remains Limited

Kenya’s household computer and digital access is low, with the national average currently at 10.7%. The leading county is Nairobi, with household computer access currently at 28.9%. Kajiado comes a distant second, recording 19.5% access. Another county neighboring Nairobi, Kiambu, is third with 18.5%.

This data, sourced from the Kenya Demographic Household Survey (KDHS), reveals inequalities in ICT access and usage across different counties. Mandera and Marsabit counties, both with a household computer access of 1.1%, are the lowest among the 47 counties. 23 of Kenyan counties (48.9%) have household computer access below 5%.

 CountyComputer Access (%)
National Average10.7
 Nairobi City28.9
 Kajiado19.5
 Kiambu18.5
 Uasin Gishu15.6
 Nyeri13.3
 Machakos12.0
 Laikipia10.7
 Trans-Nzoia10.3
 Kirinyaga8.5
 Nakuru8.3
 Bungoma8.1
 Isiolo8.9
 Kakamega6.2
 Murang’a6.4
 Kericho6.4
 Kisumu6.5
 Meru6.8
 Tharaka-Nithi6.8
 Elgeyo Marakwet5.9
 Nyandarua5.0
 Narok4.9
 Samburu4.7
 Nandi4.6
 Homa Bay4.5
 Busia4.4
 Makueni4.4
 Garissa4.3
 Migori4.2
 Kisii7.4
 Embu7.2
 Taita/Taveta7.7
 Siaya3.9
 Bomet3.9
 Nyamira3.9
 Kilifi3.5
 Turkana3.5
 West Pokot3.4
 Kitui3.3
 Vihiga3.2
 Baringo2.6
 Lamu2.5
 Kwale2.4
 Tana River1.8
 Wajir1.4
 Mandera1.1
­­­­­­­­­­­ Marsabit1.1
Data from KNBS

Kenya’s Mobile Phone Penetration

Despite limited computer and digital access nationwide, mobile phone penetration is substantial, with 93.5% of households having at least one member owning a mobile phone. Again, the tech hub of Nairobi leads with 98.8 percent mobile phone ownership. Only 11 counties (23.4%) have mobile ownership of below 90%. Turkana County greatly lags with 69.1%.

Read: Kenya’s Most Popular Phone Brands and Those Losing Marketshare

The latest sector report from the Communication Authority of Kenya (CA) shows the country has 35.2 million smartphones. However, even with the high mobile phone penetration and high number of smartphones, internet usage in Kenya is also quite low. Nationally, only 23.8 percent of households report using the internet. 6 counties with Nairobi leading with 39.6% are above the national average. Just like access to computers, Marsabit and Mandera counties are at the bottom of this list.

CountyUsed Internet (%)
Nairobi City39.6
Kajiado35.6
Nakuru32.1
Kiambu31.6
Mombasa31.1
Uasin Gishu31.7
Machakos28.3
Trans-Nzoia26.0
Kirinyaga26.2
Nyeri25.2
Taita/Taveta24.2
National23.8
Kakamega21.3
Laikipia21.4
Makueni20.7
Nyandarua20.1
Bungoma20.7
Lamu19.3
Garissa19.1
Murang’a18.8
Tharaka-Nithi18.5
Kericho18.3
Nandi18.6
Baringo17.9
Homa Bay17.9
Siaya17.5
Kisumu17.3
Meru16.7
Vihiga16.6
Elgeyo Marakwet16.6
Kisii16.3
Isiolo16.2
Narok15.9
Busia15.9
Embu15.4
Kwale15.0
Migori15.1
Kilifi13.8
Samburu13.8
Kitui13.7
Bomet13.6
West Pokot10.3
Nyamira10.0
Wajir8.8
Tana River8.1
Turkana6.6
Marsabit4.7
Mandera3.6
Data from KNBS

Gross County Product Contributions

This data was collected by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) and is part of the Gross County Product (GCP) Report of 2024. The survey targeted a population aged 15 years and above. 

It was found that counties with high ICT access also lead in contributions to Kenya’s Gross County Production (GCP). For instance, Nairobi County, which shows the highest percentages in ICT access, also dominates in GCP contributions.

Likewise, other urban counties such as Mombasa and Nakuru demonstrate greater household ICT adoption, mirroring their significant contributions to the Gross County Product (GCP). Uasin Gishu also exhibits strong ICT indicators, with 97.0% mobile phone penetration and 31.7% internet usage, suggesting its increasing participation in the digital economy and the potential for greater GCP contributions going forward.

Read: List of Home Internet Service Providers in Kenya with 2025 Prices

In contrast, counties such as Mandera and Marsabit, where internet usage is limited to 3.6% and 4.7%, respectively, exhibit lower contributions to the national GCP. This underscores the uneven distribution of digital access and its correlation with economic performance across different regions.

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Sakwa Kombo

Sakwa Kombo

My Bio is in my written articles.

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