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Kenya’s telco headcount unfazed by AI threat as sector fights for skilled workers
As of June 2026, the number of persons employed by MNOs stood at 11,660, up from 7,988 reported in the previous year, with a male-to-female ratio of 56:44.
The combined workforce of Kenya’s leading Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), tracked by the Communications Authority of Kenya, expanded by another 3,672, or 46%, from 7,988 in three months to June 2026, to a record total growth of 11,660 jobs – as the ICT industry continues to prove to be one of the most AI–proof sectors in the country’s economy.
The latest fourth-quarter sector statistics report for the financial year 2025/2026 by the ICT regulator, covering April to June, is a clear statement that, while technology remains the strongest area of demand for most operators, Kenyan employers continue to recruit despite threats posed by the emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and persistent economic uncertainty, as they take a more selective approach to hiring and directing investment towards skills considered critical to productivity and growth.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is adding to the shift rather than eliminating demand for skilled employees in the sector, with companies increasingly seeking workers who can combine technical capabilities with judgement, communication and critical thinking.
Indeed, expanded data by the authority further shows that as of June 2022, the total number of jobs in the sector was 7,609. Out of those, 2,986 roles were taken up by female employees.
That number of women workers in the sector, five years later, has since jumped to 5,534, meaning gender sensitivity during the hiring process is also a key determining factor for industry players now.
Sector performance
During the review period, CA noted that the ICT sector continued to contribute to the development of Kenya’s information society, supported by growth in mobile cellular telephone, mobile money and mobile broadband subscriptions, as well as growth in smartphone penetration.
Safaricom PLC recorded the highest market shares in mobile subscriptions (69.8%), mobile broadband subscriptions (64.4%), and mobile money transfers (88.8%). Telkom Kenya recorded the lowest market shares across the three service categories.