Safaricom remained the largest player in Kenya’s mobile money market by some distance in the three months to end-September, although Airtel made sharp inroads into the operator’s lead in the wireless sector.

In the latest Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) quarterly figures, Safaricom’s share of mobile connections fell to 64 per cent, from 72 per cent in Q3 2017. In the same period Airtel’s share increased from 15 per cent to 22 per cent.

Kenya has been eager to increase competition in both the mobile money and wireless sectors. Despite Airtel making ground in its number of mobile connections, Safaricom maintained its dominant position in mobile money.

The long-term market leader had 24.2 million users by the end of September, though its market share remained flat year-on-year at 81 per cent.

Airtel’s share of accounts increased from 6 per cent in calendar Q3 2017 to 11 per cent, taking it from the fourth largest provider to the second in terms of users.

In the year between the two reports, former market number three Mobikash lost its licence. Equitel, the former market number two by connections, recorded a broadly flat share.

Despite the boost in user numbers Airtel trails both Safaricom and Equitel significantly in the number and value of transactions moving through its platform.