The Lower Eastern Times Opening The Third Eye
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The proportion of Kenyans using WhatsApp declined slightly in the first quarter of the 2025/26 financial year, even as rival platforms such as TikTok and Facebook recorded growth.
New figures from the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) show WhatsApp usage dropped by about one percentage point to 53.9 per cent in Q1 2025/26, down from 54.4 per cent in the last quarter of the 2024/25 financial year.
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The drop came as other major social media platforms gained traction, with Facebook posting the biggest increase. Facebook’s user share jumped by 4.9 percentage points to 68.6 per cent over the period, while TikTok’s usage rose by 0.7 percentage points to reach 30.3 per cent.
Despite the decline, WhatsApp continues to rank among the top two most popular social media platforms in the country.
According to the CA’s Audience Measurement and Industry Trends Report, Facebook and WhatsApp remain the most widely used platforms in Kenya, followed by TikTok and YouTube in third and fourth positions.
“The frequent mention of Facebook and WhatsApp underscores their extensive reach and significant influence within Kenya’s digital ecosystem,” the report noted.
The regulator attributed the overall growth in social media use to wider smartphone ownership, a rapidly expanding Gen Z population, growth in e-commerce, and more affordable internet access.
However, the report shows that several platforms still have limited penetration in Kenya. Snapchat usage stands at just 0.4 per cent, while Telegram accounts for 3.4 per cent of users. Email and Opera Mini also recorded relatively low usage levels.
