Safaricom has been ranked Kenya’s top-performing mobile network operator after scoring 89.72% in the latest quality of service assessment by the Communications Authority of Kenya for the 2024–2025 financial year.
The regulator Quality of Service report places Safaricom ahead of its competitors, with Airtel Kenya scoring 81.14% while Telkom Kenya posted 52.76%, falling below the required regulatory compliance threshold.
The findings reinforce Safaricom dominance in Kenya telecom sector as demand for data and digital services continues to grow rapidly across the country.
The assessment was conducted under the authority 2017 quality of service framework, which evaluates operators across three key pillars. These include end to end network performance through drive and walk tests, network performance indicators and customer experience surveys.
Safaricom led across all major metrics. It recorded 90.36% in end to end drive tests compared to Airtel 76.47% and Telkom 47.94%.
Both Safaricom and Airtel achieved 100% in network performance indicators, while Telkom recorded 60%, highlighting a significant gap in infrastructure efficiency and service reliability.
Customer experience and industry outlook
In customer experience, Safaricom maintained the highest satisfaction rating at 70%, slightly ahead of Airtel 68.4%. Telkom recorded 60%, reflecting ongoing challenges in meeting customer expectations.
The report also shows Safaricom as the only operator to meet performance targets across all five regional clusters assessed. This consistency underscores its nationwide coverage and ability to deliver stable connectivity in both urban and rural areas.
Analysts say the results position Safaricom as the benchmark for service reliability in Kenya fast growing digital economy.
Despite strong results from leading operators, the Communications Authority noted a broader decline in overall industry performance over the past four years. The trend has been driven by rising data demand and increasing strain on telecom infrastructure.
As smartphone usage expands and more Kenyans rely on digital services, networks are facing mounting pressure to maintain speed, coverage and reliability.
The report says its findings provide independent confirmation of operator performance and highlight widening gaps in service quality across the sector.
Even so, Safaricom has maintained its lead across all core indicators, reinforcing its position as Kenya most reliable mobile network provider.
The latest rankings place Safaricom at the center of Kenya connectivity landscape, setting the standard for competitors. However, the findings also signal growing pressure on Airtel Kenya and Telkom Kenya to invest in infrastructure upgrades and improve service delivery.
As Kenya digital economy continues to expand, regulators say sustained monitoring will be critical to ensure operators meet evolving consumer demands and maintain quality standards across the sector.
