Safaricom grows fixed internet market share to 35.5% as subscribers near one million

Safaricom’s share of Kenya’s fixed internet market rose to 35.5% in the quarter to March 2026, with its subscriber base reaching 941,501, according to the Communications Authority of Kenya. The regulator’s latest sector report shows the operator added more than 83,000 fixed broadband customers during the period as competition intensifies among fibre and wireless internet providers.

The entrance to Murang’a County Referral Hospital, the venue of the ongoing fistula camp.

Safaricom increased its share of Kenya’s fixed internet market to 35.5% and grew its subscriber base to 941,501 customers in the three months to March 2026, according to sector statistics released by the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA).

The CA’s third-quarter 2025/26 report shows Safaricom added more than 83,000 new fixed broadband customers between December 2025 and March 2026, lifting its market share from 34.9% in the preceding quarter.

The latest figures underline the importance of fixed broadband in Kenya’s telecoms sector as operators compete on network coverage, pricing and bundled services amid rising demand for home and small-business connectivity.

According to the CA, other key fixed internet providers include Jamii Telecommunications Limited (Faiba) with a 20.1% market share, Wananchi Group (Zuku) at 11.1% and Poa Internet Kenya Limited at 10.7%.

The regulator said affordability continues to shape consumption patterns in the market. “Most fixed internet subscriptions in Kenya are on speeds between the 10 and 30 Mbps bands, mainly due to their affordability and reliability for most subscribers,” the Communications Authority noted in its report.

Safaricom has aligned its entry-level fibre offering around a 15 Mbps package, as operators adjust product structures to capture price-sensitive households and increase broadband penetration, according to the statement accompanying the data.

Despite the subscriber gains, the CA’s report points to continued headroom for growth. The statement notes that while Kenya has more than eight million households connected to electricity, only 2.7 million currently have fixed internet subscriptions.

Safaricom reported that in its financial year ending March 2026 it recorded 32% growth in fixed broadband subscribers and a 12% increase in revenue from the segment, highlighting the contribution of home and enterprise internet services to its overall business performance.

The company said it has adjusted its fibre deployment model to expand connectivity beyond traditional higher-income neighbourhoods, citing lower installation costs and technology-led rollout approaches. It also said existing customers have received doubled internet speeds at no additional cost, while solutions such as WiFi Bamba are being used to expand affordable home fibre connectivity in lower-income communities, including the Affordable Housing Project in Mukuru, Nairobi.

Safaricom further said it is piloting tokenisation models that would allow customers to purchase short-term, high-speed internet access within fibre-enabled zones, and noted a partnership with Huawei on Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) solutions aimed at improving in-home and business connectivity experiences.

Beyond last-mile connectivity, the CA attributed improvements in the broader sector to investments in international capacity. According to the regulator, Kenya’s international internet bandwidth increased by 16.4% to 28,130.3 Gbps during the period under review.

“This growth was driven by increasing demand for higher capacity and faster internet speeds. Notably, SEACOM expanded its capacity by 53.3 per cent to 10,500.0 Gbps. Consequently, total utilized bandwidth capacity grew by 3.0 per cent to 17,758.824 Gbps,” the report noted.

Industry watchers will be tracking whether faster entry-level packages, new purchasing models and expanding international capacity translate into higher fixed broadband take-up, especially outside traditional fibre corridors and among lower-income households. The next CA sector statistics release is expected to provide further clarity on whether the market’s growth momentum continues into subsequent quarters.