Airtel Kenya has achieved a major milestone in the country’s competitive telecom sector. According to the latest report from the Communications Authority of Kenya, Airtel Kenya hits 24 million subscribers after gaining 3.01 million new users in the first quarter of 2025.
This increase marks a 13.95% growth, with the total rising from 21.5 million at the end of 2024 to 24.5 million active SIM cards as of March 2025. In the same period, Safaricom added 1.7 million new users, bringing its total to 48.2 million—a 3.6% increase, significantly slower than Airtel’s growth.
Techweez reports that Airtel is now gaining new subscribers at a faster rate than Safaricom, something that hasn’t happened in years.
Industry Sees Overall Growth
The Kenyan mobile industry also expanded in Q1 2025. Total active SIM cards rose from 71.4 million to 76.2 million, a 6.7% jump. This exceeds the country’s population due to widespread use of dual-SIM devices and multi-line ownership, which is common across Africa, as noted in GSMA’s Mobile Economy Africa report.
Other players also made gains:
- Equitel: 1.5 million users
- Telkom Kenya: 1.2 million users
- Jamii Telecommunications (JTL): 700,000 users
Despite this, Safaricom still leads the market, mostly due to its entrenched M-PESA mobile money platform, which remains central to Kenya’s economy. According to Business Daily Africa, M-PESA handles over 50% of Kenya’s digital financial transactions.
Airtel Credits Growth to Customer Trust and Investment
In a public statement, Airtel Kenya Managing Director Ashish Malhotra said:
“We are deeply humbled by the support of over 24 million customers who continue to believe in us. This is not the destination—it is part of a longer journey.”
Malhotra emphasized Airtel’s commitment to expanding infrastructure and improving service quality. According to Tech-ish, Airtel has been aggressively installing network booster masts and expanding rural coverage in response to regulatory pressure.
The Communications Authority has previously warned telcos to improve Quality of Service (QoS) or face penalties, as outlined in their Q1 2025 report.
Key Takeaways:
- Airtel Kenya hits 24 million subscribers, adding 3 million new users in Q1 2025.
- Airtel’s growth outpaces Safaricom, which added 1.7 million in the same period.
- Total SIM subscriptions in Kenya reached 76.2 million.
- Airtel credits its growth to network investment and consumer trust.
- Safaricom remains dominant due to M-PESA’s ecosystem, but competition is tightening.
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