Mobile Money Agents Fall as Subscriptions Hit Record Penetration
The number of registered mobile money agents in Kenya fell by 5.6 per cent to 568,463 in the quarter ended June 30, 2026, even as mobile money subscriptions reached a record penetration rate of 101.3 per cent.
Data from the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) shows that the decline in registered agents came amid continued growth in the use of mobile money services, highlighting the increasing shift towards digital transactions by individuals and businesses.
The number of mobile money subscriptions increased by 13.2 per cent during the quarter, according to the regulator.
The reduction in physical agents suggests that growing mobile money usage is not necessarily translating into a corresponding expansion in the traditional agent network, as customers increasingly rely on digital channels for payments and other financial transactions.
The CA also reported continued growth in overall mobile connectivity during the period, with active mobile subscriptions across all networks increasing by 4.6 per cent to 87.99 million.
Mobile data subscriptions also maintained an upward trend, increasing by 9.7 per cent year-on-year to 64.3 million in June 2026 from 58.6 million a year earlier.
The expansion in data subscriptions points to growing demand for internet-enabled services as more Kenyans use mobile devices to access digital financial services, social media, online commerce, entertainment, education and government services.
Mobile broadband subscriptions accounted for 85.5 per cent of total data subscriptions during the quarter, with 4G remaining the most widely adopted broadband technology.
Smartphone subscriptions also increased during the period, rising by 4.2 per cent to 52.26 million.
At the same time, feature phone subscriptions declined by 3.9 per cent to 27.42 million, pointing to a continued shift towards smartphones among mobile users.
The changing composition of mobile devices is significant for Kenya’s digital economy because smartphones provide users with access to a wider range of internet-based services than conventional feature phones.
These include mobile banking, digital payments, online shopping, streaming services, social networking, digital government platforms and mobile applications.
The CA said the expansion of internet access remained central to the country’s digital transformation.
“The Internet remained a key enabler of digital transformation, providing opportunities for economic participation and delivery of public and private sector services,” the authority said.
