The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) has released an analytical report on the uptake of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) based on the 2022 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS).
The report provides key insights into the ownership and usage of ICTs among individuals and households nationwide.
Mobile Ownership and Usage Among Individuals
The report reveals that 80.4% of individuals own a mobile phone nationally, with urban areas showing higher ownership rates (90.2% for males and 88.9% for females) compared to rural areas (74.1% for males and 69.6% for females).
Smartphone ownership stands at 49.1% nationally, with a significant urban-rural divide: 70.2% of urban males own smartphones compared to 35.3% of rural males.
When it comes to media consumption, 87.3% of individuals listen to the radio at least once a week, while 80.3% watch television weekly.
Internet usage is also notable, with 56.2% of individuals using the Internet in the 12 months preceding the survey. Urban areas again lead in internet usage, with 80.0% of urban males and 67.7% of urban females accessing the internet, compared to 40.7% of rural males and 27.9% of rural females.
ICT Uptake Among Households
Household ownership of ICT devices also shows interesting trends. Nationally, 65.8% of households own a radio, 50.1% own a television, and 10.7% own a computer. Internet usage among households is at 23.8%, with urban households (36.1%) significantly outpacing rural households (15.4%).
Households with members below the age of 15 show high mobile phone ownership at 94.6%, with urban households leading at 97.8%. Television ownership in these households is at 53.4%, and computer ownership is at 8.7%. Internet usage in these households is at 50.9%, with urban households again leading at 66.5%.
Gender-Based Differences in ICT Usage
The report also highlights gender-based differences in ICT usage. Female-headed households show higher internet usage (26.7%) compared to male-headed households (22.2%). However, male-headed households have a higher rate of using mobile phones for financial transactions (93.9%) compared to female-headed households (89.6%).
Health and ICT Usage
The uptake of ICTs is also linked to various health factors. For instance, 97.0% of households tested and vaccinated against COVID-19 own a mobile phone. Additionally, 72.5% of households with any kind of health cover own a television.
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