• The trend of mobile money placed Kenya at the front row of cashless technology
• Other trends are rising, and their identity and character could be just as influential, especially on media
• The Wakenya Study sets out to identify the consumer mindsets and behaviours that consumers are adopting, so as to catch the next trends early
• At least six trends are reshaping Kenya at present, and they are digitisation of work, home & school; health awareness; shifts in culture; a new media landscape plus acceptance of illegal drugs e.g. cannabis
• The article explores this in detail with data from the newest Wakenya Study report

Ever since Kenya’s rapid adoption of mobile money surprised its citizens – people asked “what other trends are coming?” So the Wakenya Research Survey from Consumer Insight set out to find answers, and found at least six major trends reshaping the country.

I

HEALTH OVER MONEY

Start with their values: we all think Kenyans love money above everything, but majority now say health and family matter more – as noted in the Wakenya survey. Coming after the pandemic, this may be understandable. What’s interesting is that all economic levels share this outlook.

This trend may be new, but its impact is already changing behavior: for example, 42% of Kenyans are now seeking professional medical advice before medicating, an improvement from when self-medicating was common (a declining 21% buy OTC medicine).

Moving to their fears, the Wakenya Study noted that of loss of income (joblessness) is the fastest rising fear. This trend of economic worry is manifested in family members actively working and earning incomes (up 10% from 2018) and on reliance on debt – which exposes the third major trend: borrowing as a way of life.

II

A BORROWING NATION

As found by the Wakenya survey, at least half of Kenyans are now borrowers (52%) rising from 40% in 2019. Sources of credit have changed as well, and 59% say they borrow on their mobile phones – a sharp increase from 33% in 2016. The sources of consumer credit have changed as well; bank branches have been replaced by digital lenders – with independent digital lenders and bank-owned platforms sharing the market.

Along with finance, Wakenya found that the digitisation trend has affected to two other essential industries differently: insurance which is M.I.A, and media which has been hit hard.

III

INTERNET AND TV TEAM UP

The internet is the new mecca for Kenyan consumers seeking news, movies and music – and it’s buttressed by a substantial 78% internet access rate (with 32% always connected). This internet growth coincides with the fall of legacy formats like radio and newspapers which are currently facing reduced audience numbers: of those polled, only 6% told Wakenya that they read newspapers.

With the leading internet destination being social media, the competition for Kenyans attention by major social networks is high. TikTok subscriptions have risen fastest (to 49% at par with YouTube) which suggests the short-video format is a trend to watch. Established platforms like YouTube and Instagram have already imitated the upstart Tiktok.  Meanwhile, Twitter (the pushy home of KoT) is at 31%: will their rebrand to “X” gain or lose subscribers?

Of overall interest in the country’s internet arena are the 42% who self-identified as “content-creators”, which reveals the numerical basis of Kenya’s renowned internet presence.

Media’s surprising survivor has been TV, which now teams up with the internet rather than competes. This is where 70% go to daily for news and announcements. Peculiarly, video platforms like YouTube and TikTok at 49% and even GoTV have not shifted the fanbase of Citizen TV (62% viewing most often).

To reach this combined TV-Internet target audience, marketers now have to balance their campaigns carefully. Impressively, companies can now reach 50% of Kenyans by advertising online, and 65% of those polled choosing not to ignore advertisements. With internet advertising growing in reach and complexity, the next logical frontier for brands will be eCommerce.

IV

E-SHOPPING AND E-LEARNING

Just four years ago, few Kenyans would take shopping-from-home seriously. But how this trend has taken-off is almost revolutionary, and one out of three Kenyans have now shopped online. Curiously, a respectable share of Kenyan online commerce (17%) is based on social networks (Facebook, Instagram, etc.) rather than impersonal store-front websites. This may suggest that the human touch point is essential when selling to Kenyans.

E-learning trends are also growing, in tandem with internet growth, and 27% of those polled by Wakenya acquired an online education. Certificate-less courses lead in this trend with 40%, more than double the 16% for university degrees.

V

RECREATIONAL DRUG USAGE RISES

Yet another (overlooked) trend has been the growing use of recreational-drugs, especially cannabis and miraa. As the Wakenya Study found, 9% now say they use these drugs – an increase since 2016 for every year without decline. Specifically, this rise in cannabis usage contrasts with the fall of cigarettes (4% are active tobacco smokers) despite the fact cannabis is illegal in Kenya.

VI

TRADITIONS EVOLVE

Even as these trends sweep across all income and age groups (both urban and rural), a few traditions have held fast. The Wakenya Study found that Kenyans still value two-parent homes and marriage highly (93% and 85% respectively) along with the responsibilities to extended family and community.

This comes even as 81% who were raised by their mothers (21%) confidently said a “mother led home” worked out well for them. The growing numbers of female surnames confirm this trend.

TRACKING THE EMERGING LANDSCAPE

As seen, majority these trends are heavily affected by the penetration of digital devices into Kenyans daily lives. As the Covid aftershocks fade, the economy improves and a new Kenya emerges from the fog, Wakenya will be there to give you the full picture.

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WAKENYA is one of the largest research surveys available on Kenyan consumer lifestyles, values, and mindsets. It is conducted through quantitative face-to-face interviews, with a respondent base of over 3,000 participating in four waves done from 2016 to 2023. 

CONSUMER INSIGHT is one of Kenya’s leading consumer-facing research firms. Our long experience gives a unique perspective into consumer behaviors in Kenya, and Africa. Insights from our Customised and In-House research reports help clients create, inform and protect their competitive advantage.

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