Telkom Kenya Loses Over 160,000 Mobile Subscribers in Three Months
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Telkom Kenya Limited has recorded a sharp decline in its mobile customer base, losing more than 160,000 subscribers in the first quarter of 2026.
According to data from the Third Quarter Sector Statistics Report for FY 2025/2026 published by the Communications Authority of Kenya, the active mobile subscriptions fell from 744,902 to 584,438, marking one of the steepest quarterly declines among Kenya’s telecom operators, marking a drop of 160,464 subscribers within three months.
This reflects ongoing pressure in the competitive mobile market, where larger players continue to dominate both subscriber growth and service uptake.
Telkom Kenya Loses Over 160,000 Subscribers in Just Three Months
CA revealed that overall mobile services in Kenya continued to expand, with total SIM subscriptions rising to 84.1 million.
The authority also stated that this growth has largely been concentrated among major operators, leaving smaller companies like Telkom Kenya under pressure.
In addition, CA noted that Telcom has also dropped in industry position as it is now the fifth-largest mobile operator in the country.
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The Communications Authority of Kenya further added that the company continues to trail behind Safaricom PLC, Airtel Networks Kenya, Finserve (Equitel), and Jamii Telecommunications Limited (JTL), which have all maintained stronger subscriber bases.
Additionally, the report indicated that Safaricom maintained a dominant market share of 68.9 % in mobile subscriptions, while Airtel and other operators continued to expand their share of voice, data, and mobile money services.
CA Report Reveals Customer Behaviour Resulted in Market Decline
The CA also stated that Telkom’s subscriber drop reflected persistent challenges in customer retention and acquisition.
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The authority argued that aggressive competition, shifting consumer preferences toward bundled data services, and the rapid adoption of digital communication platforms such as WhatsApp have contributed to pressure on smaller operators.
It also highlighted a broader market shift, with declining SMS usage and reduced reliance on traditional voice services as consumers increasingly migrate to internet-based communication platforms.
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Telkom Kenya Records Sharp Decline in Mobile Subscribers. Photo/ CA
