Number of people using the Internet in Kenya
Kenya: Number of people using the Internet was 19.74 million people in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Number of people using the Internet in Kenya, 1990–2024
Source: World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database - International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026); United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, vi. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of people using the internet in Kenya is 19.74 million people, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 31 years on record.
That represents a change of up 11.2% on the previous year and up 159.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people using the internet in Kenya peaked at 19.74 million people in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0 people, in 1990.
That places Kenya 44th out of 208 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of people using the Internet in Kenya, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 0 people | — |
| 1995 | 193.4 people | — |
| 1996 | 2,417 people | +1149.9% |
| 1997 | 9,667 people | +299.9% |
| 1998 | 14,531 people | +50.3% |
| 1999 | 33,896 people | +133.3% |
| 2000 | 97,463 people | +187.5% |
| 2001 | 195,970 people | +101.1% |
| 2002 | 394,094 people | +101.1% |
| 2003 | 990,016 people | +151.2% |
| 2004 | 1.05 million people | +6.0% |
| 2005 | 1.11 million people | +5.8% |
| 2006 | 1.33 million people | +19.6% |
| 2007 | 1.67 million people | +26.0% |
| 2008 | 2.04 million people | +21.8% |
| 2009 | 2.46 million people | +20.9% |
| 2010 | 3.00 million people | +21.5% |
| 2011 | 3.76 million people | +25.6% |
| 2012 | 4.61 million people | +22.5% |
| 2013 | 5.85 million people | +26.9% |
| 2014 | 7.60 million people | +29.9% |
| 2015 | 7.81 million people | +2.8% |
| 2016 | 7.99 million people | +2.3% |
| 2017 | 8.77 million people | +9.8% |
| 2018 | 9.79 million people | +11.6% |
| 2019 | 11.61 million people | +18.6% |
| 2020 | 12.91 million people | +11.2% |
| 2021 | 14.35 million people | +11.2% |
| 2022 | 15.95 million people | +11.2% |
| 2023 | 17.75 million people | +11.2% |
| 2024 | 19.74 million people | +11.2% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 19.74 million people is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 5.91 million people, 3.3× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 19.74 million people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 3.88 million people, 5.1× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Number of people using the Internet in Kenya changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | +1149.9% | 193.4 people | 2,417 people |
| 1997 | +299.9% | 2,417 people | 9,667 people |
| 2000 | +187.5% | 33,896 people | 97,463 people |
| 2003 | +151.2% | 394,094 people | 990,016 people |
| 1999 | +133.3% | 14,531 people | 33,896 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 10,117 people | 0 people | 33,896 people | 6 |
| 2000s | 1.13 million people | 97,463 people | 2.46 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.08 million people | 3.00 million people | 11.61 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 16.14 million people | 12.91 million people | 19.74 million people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
- 41 Venezuela 21.78 million people compare
- 42 Democratic Republic of Congo 21.50 million people compare
- 43 Tanzania 21.36 million people compare
- 45 Kazakhstan 19.23 million people compare
- 46 Chile 18.89 million people compare
- 47 Netherlands 17.45 million people compare
More science & technology data for Kenya
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 126.48 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.26 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per unit of GDP 0.0006 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, gaps filled 71.38 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 114.91 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate 4.86 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 6.94 % change on previous year (2024)
- Scientific and technical journal articles 2,079 (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per capita 0 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people using the internet in Kenya?
- Number of people using the internet in Kenya was 19.74 million people in 2024, according to World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database - International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026); United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, vi.
- What is the highest number of people using the internet recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 19.74 million people in 2024.
- What is the lowest number of people using the internet recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 people in 1990.
- How does Kenya rank for number of people using the internet?
- Kenya ranks 44th out of 208 countries with data for 2024.
- Is number of people using the internet rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 159.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Kenya data come from?
- The figures come from World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database - International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026); United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, vi, published as part of Number of people using the Internet. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of people who used the Internet in the last three months.