The Kenya Media Landscape 2025 Report By GeoPoll: From Radio To Reels — A Country Transitioning At Scale To Digital-First Media Consumption
A couple of days ago I attended the unveiling of TuuCho, GeoPoll Kenya’s newly launched digital research platform. Given that TuuCho itself is a fascinating innovation, which I wrote about here, and promises real-time, mobile-first research for a rapidly evolving Kenya and Africa — what stole the show was the Kenya Media Landscape 2025 Report built using TuuCho’s capabilities. This dataset is more than just another collection of graphs and percentages — it’s a clear reflection of how Kenya’s media habits have evolved, and perhaps more importantly, where they’re heading next.
The reality is that we are now in an era where digital media is no longer just a trend in Kenya — it’s the default. The shift has been swift, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, deepened by the smartphone revolution, and cemented by generational change. Across urban centres and rural towns, from Gen Alpha to Gen X and even older genererations, and at scale, Kenyans are spending more time online than ever before — consuming, creating, sharing, and living their lives through all kinds of digital screens, large and small. The GeoPoll data gives us clarity and nuance around this transformation, and here’s what stood out for me.
A Pandemic-Powered Paradigm Shift
Let’s go back a few years to when the COVID-19 hit in early 2020, Kenya — like much of the world — went into lockdown. Schools closed. Offices went remote. Travel was restricted. Physical touchpoints all but disappeared. Suddenly, everything from school classes to Sunday church, family meetings to job interviews, moved online.
In that moment, digital transformation stopped being aspirational and became existential. Kenyan households adapted fast. Data bundles became utility expenses. Smartphones were shared or upgraded. WhatsApp groups became information lifelines.
What the GeoPoll report reveals is how that transformation has stuck. We didn’t bounce back to “normal” — we built a new one. Digital platforms are no longer alternatives. They are primary. And they’re reshaping how Kenyans discover, engage with, and trust media content.
Methodology Matters: Scope, Scale, & Ongoing Analysis
Before we unpack the insights, it’s important to provide context.
This preliminary report is based on a modest but nationally representative sample of 1,471 respondents across all 47 counties in Kenya. The sample was gender balanced (52% female, 48% male), age diverse, and included both urban (69%) and rural (30%) populations. Education and income levels were also factored in, offering a solid baseline for segmentation.
That said, the sample size — while useful — should be viewed as a starting point rather than a definitive portrait. A larger dataset may reveal additional nuances or even challenge some of the current observations.
Moreover, GeoPoll has noted that this is not the final report. The research team is still analyzing a broader set of data, and future releases will offer deeper, possibly more granular insights. For now, this version should be seen as a snapshot — not the full picture.
1. Kenya Is Now Fully Digitally Enabled
One of the most striking insights from the report is the sheer pervasiveness of the internet:
- 93% of Kenyans now access the internet regularly — including in rural areas.
- There’s virtually no gender divide: 93% of men and 93% of women are online.
- Internet penetration is multi-generational: Gen Z: 91%, Millennials: 95%, and Gen X: 96%
That means the idea of “digital elites” is fading fast. This is a mainstream phenomenon, not a niche one. The question is no longer “who is online?” but “how are they spending their time online?”.
2. Social Media: Not Just Social — Strategic
Unsurprisingly, social media is the most dominant media platform in Kenya today. And it’s not just about likes and memes. It’s the place where:
- Politics plays out
- Brands are discovered
- Relationships are formed
- Protests are organized
- Products are reviewed
GeoPoll’s data confirms this:
- 93% of Kenyans use social media
- Equal usage among men and women
- Generational parity (92%+ usage across all age groups)
- 77% spend over 1 hour daily on social media
- A significant share (28%) spend 4 to 6+ hours daily
Top platforms?
- WhatsApp — Not just an instant messaging or chat app anymore. It’s how businesses engage customers, how communities mobilize, and how information spreads — for better or worse.
- Facebook — Still relevant, especially for family-driven and community-based engagement.
- TikTok — Rising fast among Gen Z, reshaping content formats, and setting cultural trends.
If your brand isn’t part of the conversation happening here, you’re already invisible.
3. The Internet Is Kenya’s New Public Square
Beyond social media, GeoPoll defines Kenya’s internet usage through what it calls the 5 S’s:
- Search — Information, how-to guides, academic content, product discovery.
- Sport — Especially during peak football seasons or local tournaments.
- Social — WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok, Telegram.
- Sex (or Streaming) — Not just adult content, but binge-worthy shows on YouTube, Netflix, and Showmax.
- Stories — The format, not just the content. Stories are now how we scroll through daily life.
These categories reflect the emotional and functional layers of internet use. The internet is where Kenyans go for answers, identity, escape, and expression.
4. Radio: Not Dead, Just Digital and Niche
Despite digital dominance, radio still commands loyalty:
- 73% of respondents still listen to radio
- Stronger among Gen X (79%) and in rural areas
- Men (80%) are more likely to tune in than women (68%)
Radio is evolving in two key ways:
- How it’s accessed: 50% via traditional radio or car stereo, 45% via mobile apps or online streaming.
- What it delivers: Top content includes talk shows (29%), music (29%), and news (22%).
So, while younger and urban audiences may be shifting away, radio still plays a vital role, especially as a trusted, local, and low-cost information source.
5. Television: From Living Room Staple to Streaming Alternative
TV remains relevant — but it’s not what it used to be:
- 90% of Kenyans still watch TV
- 50% use traditional TV sets, but 24% now watch via mobile and 15% via laptops.
- 62% watch for more than an hour daily.
- Top content categories: News (52%), entertainment (22%), and sports (8%).
Interestingly, TV still has cultural power — especially for shared viewing:
- 61% watch TV with family or children
- Only 13% watch alone
That said, the rise of SVOD platforms (like Netflix, Showmax, TikTok, Reels and YouTube) is chipping away at TV’s dominance — particularly among Gen Z and Millennials who prefer on-demand, mobile-friendly formats.
6. The Multi-Channel Kenyan Media Consumer
Perhaps the most important takeaway from GeoPoll’s data is this: media consumption in Kenya is not monolithic. It’s layered, fluid, and constantly switching between channels.
Monthly usage across all platforms:
- Social Media: ~95%
- TV: ~90%
- Radio: ~73%
- SVOD / Video Streaming: ~50%
- Music Streaming: ~45%
- Newspapers: ~25%
- Podcasts: ~20%
- Magazines: ~10%
This confirms that the modern Kenyan consumer:
- Scrolls, swipes, streams, and listens
- Moves seamlessly between traditional and digital
- Relies on different platforms depending on context, mood, content type, or time of day
Final Thoughts: Context, Caution, & A Call to Action
GeoPoll’s TuuCho-powered research paints a bold, insightful picture of Kenya’s fast-evolving media landscape. It confirms what many of us in digital marketing, digital media, and technology have observed on the ground — that Kenya is now a digital-first media market, and this shift is both deep and durable.
However, it’s important to remember:
- The sample size, while nationally representative, is modest (n=1,471).
- The findings are preliminary, with further insights to be published in the final report.
That said, this snapshot already tells us what we need to know — that Kenya’s media playbook has fundamentally changed, and the brands, agencies, and policymakers that recognize this will be better positioned to build relevant, responsive, and resonant campaigns.
To explore the full media consumption findings, you can download the Kenya Media Landscape 2025 (Preliminary) Report powered by TuuCho from the link below:
