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Male youths aged between 25 to 34 years are the majority owners of mobile phones in the country, with 93.1 per cent of them owning the gadgets.

However, only 63.7 per cent of those aged between 15 -24 years, the so-called Generation Z, own gadgets, the lowest in the country, according to data released by the relevant government agencies.

The analytical report on information and communication technology released by the Communications Authority (CAK) shows that among the female population, mobile phone ownership is highest in women between 35- 44 years with  90.3 per cent of them owning the gadgets.

It is however lowest among the Gen Z age group of between 15-24 years, with only 57.4 per cent able to afford phones.

Highest proportion

Both men and women between the ages 25-34 years also have the highest proportion of smartphone owners compared to other age groups, although smartphone ownership is highest among males across all age groups compared to their female counterparts whose phone ownership is highest in the age group 35- 44 years (90.3 percent) and lowest in age group 15-24 years (57.4percent).

Overall, mobile phone ownership among males and females stands at 80.4 per cent and 77.5 per cent, respectively.

The report says, nine out of ten individuals in urban areas own a mobile phone whereas seven out of ten individuals in rural areas own the gadget.

On the other hand, the proportion of smartphone ownership nationwide was 49.1 per cent for males and 42.7 per cent for females with the proportion of the male population who owned smartphones in rural areas being 35.3 per cent which is about half that of their urban areas counterpart 70.2 per cent.

The survey covered 42,022 households spread across 1,692 clusters. Interviews were conducted only in pre-selected clusters and households. A total of 32,156 women and 13,699 men aged 15 -49 were interviewed.

Phone ownership

Reads the report; “Nationally, the proportion of mobile phone ownership among the male and female population was 80.4 per cent and 77.5 per cent, respectively. Nine out of ten individuals owned a mobile phone in urban areas whereas seven out ten individuals in rural areas owned a mobile phone.”

The report shows that Nairobi, Nyeri, Isiolo, Mombasa and Garissa counties have the highest number of people who own phones at 94.6 per cent, 90.5 per cent, 89.8 per cent and 80.5 per cent respectively, while Bungoma, Migori, Tana River, West Pokot and Turkana counties have the lowest numbers at 63.7 per cent, 59.7 per cent, 59.5 per cent, 52.8 per cent and 49.9 per cent respectively.

Reads the report: “Nairobi City County recorded the highest proportion of both male and female population that owned mobile phones and smartphones. On the other hand, Turkana County had the lowest proportion of males and females with smartphone ownership.”

Mobile phone and smartphone ownership by the level of education is highest among individuals with higher than secondary education level with 99 per cent and 98.8 per cent of the male and female population respectively.

On the other hand, only 14.2 per cent of the male population and 10.1 per cent female population with no education own smartphones, the report shows.

Mobile phone ownership is highest in the richest wealth quintile for the male population, at 94 per cent, and 93.6 per cent among the female population.

 The report further shows that 95 per cent of male adults below the age of 49 and currently living with a partner own mobile phones while 94.9 per cent of those currently married own the gadgets.

 On the other hand, mobile phone ownership was highest among the female population who reported being separated (91.3 per cent) and divorced (91.1 per cent).

Smartphone ownership was highest among both male and female population living with partners at 56.6 per cent and 47.3 per cent, respectively.

Internet usage on a daily basis nationally stands at 68.7 per cent among males and 63.5 per cent among females. In urban areas, 77.0 per cent of males and 69.8 per cent among females used the internet almost every day while, in the rural areas, the proportions of males and females who used internet almost every day were 58.0 and 53.1 per cent, respectively.

Usage of the internet among males aged 25-34 on a daily basis stands at 73.9 per cent, the highest rate of daily usage while females in the same age group that used the internet almost every day stood at 65.4 per cent.