Safaricom’s 5G Coverage Rollout
Safaricom’s 5G rollout, while rapidly expanding, paints a clear picture of the company’s urban-first strategy. The concentration of coverage in Nairobi is particularly striking — with 149 estates in the capital now 5G-ready, the city alone accounts for over half of the total rollout footprint. In contrast, many counties have only one or two covered locations, and some remain entirely untouched. This skew reveals not just Safaricom’s growth trajectory, but also the spatial priorities shaping Kenya’s digital infrastructure.
What we’re seeing isn’t random — it’s strategic. Nairobi, as Kenya’s commercial and political hub, offers high device penetration, dense populations, and a strong early adopter market. From a return-on-investment perspective, it makes sense to plant network roots where the uptake will likely be swift and profitable. The same logic appears to extend to Mombasa and Kisumu, both of which enjoy relatively extensive coverage, thanks to their urban cores and established tech infrastructure.
Yet, this pattern also spotlights Kenya’s growing digital divide. While some counties like Kiambu (27 estates) and Machakos (14) show promising signals of inclusion, a wide swath of rural and peripheral regions remain either lightly connected or not connected at all. Counties like Marsabit, Turkana, and Narok, for instance, register only a single covered area each — a sign of the logistical and economic barriers facing wide-area deployment.
This imbalance prompts larger questions about access, equity, and the pace of digital transformation. As Safaricom continues its 5G expansion, bridging these geographical gaps will become not just a technical challenge, but a developmental imperative. For now, the map tells a story of impressive technological strides — but one still tethered closely to the country’s urban heartbeat.