Airtel Kenya has significantly expanded its 5G network, now covering 39 counties and 285 wards with over 690 operational sites. This expansion comes in response to a growing number of 5G network users in the country.
The telecom company plans to launch an additional 1,000 sites by the end of the year, bringing the total number of 5G sites to 1,690. According to data from the Communications Authority, the number of 5G users in Kenya increased by 13.3% to 509,737 in the three months leading up to September 2023, up from 449,794 in June 2023.
Airtel Kenya’s Managing Director, Ashish Malhotra, expressed the company’s enthusiasm about the positive market response to its services. He emphasized Airtel’s commitment to promoting digital inclusion, stating, “We are confident that our ongoing network expansion will enable us to extend connectivity to more communities nationwide, ensuring that no one is left behind in the digital revolution.”
In July 2023, Airtel announced the launch of its 5G service at over 370 sites across Kenya. The company highlighted the transformative potential of the 5G network across various sectors, including smart cities, education, healthcare, agritech, transportation systems, and entertainment.
In August 2023, Airtel Kenya disclosed plans to invest over $150 million (KSh21.5 billion) over the next three years to further expand its network coverage. As part of this initiative, Airtel also planned to add 100 new 5G sites to its network in November 2023.
The adoption of 5G technology has been on the rise in Kenya. Safaricom, another major telecom provider, launched the country’s first 5G service in October 2022 after a year of testing. By November 2023, Safaricom had expanded its 5G network to 35 counties.
In a notable development, Equitel, a mobile virtual network operator, partnered with Airtel in February 2024 to launch 5G services in Kenya, becoming Africa’s first mobile virtual network operator to offer 5G services.
As of early 2024, Kenya had 22.71 million internet users, with a penetration rate of 40.8%. According to Globalmonitor, the Kenyan telecom market has experienced significant growth in recent years and is expected to continue expanding through 2025. This growth is driven by a growing population, improved communication services, and increased smartphone adoption.