Kenyans imported a record Sh4.9 billion worth of telecom equipment in April this year, the highest ever in a single month since the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) began recording data on this category of shipments in January 2017.
The value of shipments in April 2024 represents a 58 percent increase from the Sh3.1 billion value of devices brought into the country in the same month last year, reflecting increased usage of these devices as more people become tech-savvy.
Latest data from KNBS reveals that hardware imports more than doubled from Sh2.4 billion recorded in March this year, up from a Sh1.5 billion decline in June last year.
This comes amid increasing internet usage and smartphone penetration in the country, indicating a growing tech-savvy population in the wake of the digital transformation, positioning Kenya as a key market for such equipment on the continent.
Technology and innovation experts attribute the growing imports of ICT equipment to the country’s growing youth population, who are arguably more tech-savvy than older generations and more innovative as more businesses and service providers go digital.
In addition to the rise of the internet and innovation, the recent surge in telecom equipment imports can also be attributed to the rise of remote working that came with the Covid-19 pandemic, says Tim Daguerre, a technology lawyer.
“COVID-19 has accelerated things like remote working and e-learning, which in turn has increased demand for digital devices,” he said.
“It has made engagement in the online space not only important but urgent. It is the way Kenyans communicate, shop, worship, work and go to school. It has now become the norm, with many adopting a hybrid approach post-Covid,” added Dagori, who is also a former director of the iHub innovation incubator.
Apart from the shift to the internet, technology is now increasingly accessible to Kenyans as well, which is also contributing significantly to Kenya’s growth as a market for telecommunications devices internationally.
“There is increasing internet penetration to the grassroots ensuring that more and more Kenyans from all walks of life are connected. Across all sectors, there has been adoption of digital technology, especially in government and education with CBC. Businesses have had to follow suit,” Mr Dagori said.