Digital Kenya (March 2010): A study to understand the on-line life of Kenyans Key findings 5th March 2010. This internet report was jointly carried out by the Kenya ICT Board and TNS Research International.

1. Digital Kenya
A study to understand
the on-line life of Kenyans
Key findings
5th March 2010

2. For further information regarding this project please contact:
Melissa Baker – Melissa.Baker@research-int.com
+254 722 522657
1

3. Contents of the presentation
• Why Digital Kenya now?
• Internet in our lives
• Social life & engagement
• Marketing
• Knowledge
• Government of Kenya services
A study partnership between TNS Research International
and the ICT Board of Kenya

4. So why Digital Kenya?
• To help organizations understanding of how people in Kenya use the
internet
• To provide new analysis of the consumer and what motivates them
to behave in particular ways when they are on-line
• To understand the needs of users of the digital space in Kenya so as
to harness opportunities and drive innovation of services for the
future

5. 6 key themes of our study
GOK &
Social social
life & services
engage
The internet -ment Knowledge
in our lives Buying
& selling Marketing
Basic facts and figures
User typology

6. Method
1,669 responses
Weighted to match Kenya user
On-line survey profiles
20 in-depth interviews
In depth interviews To profile needs and understand
information from survey in depth
Fieldwork:
December - February
Timing
5

7. The people who took part in the study
Mainly Nairobi (77%),
only 5% rural 25-34 (55%), 35-44 (27%)
Nearly all degree or
diploma holders
70% employed, 16%
self-employed
53% work with a
commercial company, rest
with GOK / NGO.
Majority male

8. Items respondents own
A Colour TV 88
A Satellite dish/ DSTV/Cable TV subscription 31
A Microwave oven 52
A video/DVD recorder /camcorder 64
A mobile / cell phone with a working line 82
A mobile / cell phone with internet access 77
A personal computer for your own personal use at home 59
A personal computer with internet connection 51
A fixed telephone line at home or an outstanding application for one 13
A washing machine 14
A refrigerator 65
A Hi-Fi or music centre 53

9. 1. The Internet In Our Lives

10. If you were ship-wrecked on a desert island
and could rescue one thing, what would it
be?
PC connected to the 20
Internet 63
40
A Mobile phone
23
Satellite TV with
18
Kenyan and
5
Internet connection
internation
main priority…
7 2nd priority
A range of books
4 1st priority
An MP3 full of your 2
favorite music 2
DVD movies with
3
home cinema
screen 1
3
A digital camera

11. The web is very important to Kenyan users,
outstripping its importance in other
countries
6.37.7
7.37.1
6.96.7
6.46.1
5.95.8 .9 5. 4 5 4 4
5 5.7 5.2
l
n
y
s
ia
rway
USA
an
ba
nce
n
nd
de
stral
rma
Glo
Jap
Fra
la
Swe
No
ther
Au
Ge
Ne
How much would not having the internet affect your daily routine and
personal activities? (10 = very much, 1 = not at all)
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
l ly y s
ba ya n a an ea nc
e
Ita an
K nd da SA ai
n l ia ar
k en nd
lo en hi ap or U
na tra ed la
K C J K ra r m rla a U Sp us
m in
G F e he C A en Sw F
G et D
N
TNS multi-country study

12. Office is facilitating internet access
currently
42% not entirely happy
100 Where accesseshappy
42% not entirely internet
90 most the convenience of
with the convenience of
with often
their connectivity
their connectivity
80
70
60 56
50
40
30
20 12 12
9 10
10
0
0
fé t er ce ne o t m
ca pu pl
a ho Sp od
e
er m rk p ot M
b co wo ile iH
Cy a / ob ith
m i-F w
fro
m
ff ice y W op
e O M a pt
om L
H

13. Mobile phone is now the main back-up source
of access
6.37.77.37.16.96.76.46.15.95.85.95.75.45.2 5 4 4
ay
us A
l
erl y
ds
Sw a
No n
erm e
n
ba
an
ali
US
nc
e
pa
rw
an
ed
lo
tr
ra
Ja
G
F
A
th
G
Ne
58
60 Other places they use to
access internet
50
40 36
33
30 26
20 18
12
10
0
fé er ce e o t m
ca ut a on Sp e
r p pl ph od
be om rk le ot M
C y a
c
/ wo ob
i iH ith
m i-F w
fro
m
ff ice y W op
e O M a pt
om L
H

14. There is high demand for more phone
browsing
50% prefer to use
their phone to
browse
Small screen is the
main barrier, & low
content

15. Kenyans go on-line frequently, and
demand is high for more…
No of times those on line Duration of last connection
connect each day
62% 65%
17%
2-5 5+ 1 hour +

16. Among these digital respondents, internet is
more frequently used than conventional
media
Radio
18
Internet
5+ times a day 14
62
TV
22
2 - 4 times a day 77%17
want to spend
20
more time on the
36
1 time a day 14 internet
51
25
Less often / never 6
15
• Base: 1669 internet users

17. Expensive
Cost and speed main barriers to greater use
42
Slow speed 40
Not enough time 29
Don’t have own internet-connected comp 19
Crowding in internet cafes 11
Concerned about privacy 10
Cost, speed, lack of
time and lack of
Cant see it clearly on my phone 9
internet-connected
It’s a time waster 8
computer main
barriers
Travel far to access 7
No internet on my phone 7 Base: 1305 internet
users who would
Not Kenyan enough 7 like to spend more
time online
1 11 21 31 41

18. Learning
• Kenyan users become highly devoted to the internet
• High demand for more access
• Cost and speed still hindrances
• Towards mobile phone based browsing as opposed to
cyber café
• Demand for better screens and mobile phone content

19. 2. Needs served by the internet

20. Work is main sphere of motivation
Sphere of life that motivates internet use
Business/ work/ job search 82
Academic / education related 63
Leisure related activities 51
• Base: 1669 internet users

21. Information beats communication
Most important need served
Accessing reliable knowledge /
57
information
Communicating with others (email /
39
social networking/ chatting/ VOIP)
Buying products and services 2 Most important
Getting entertained
Accessing view points
• Base: 1669 internet users

22. Information beats communication
Second-Most important need served
Accessing reliable knowledge /
34
information
Communicating with others (email /
50
social networking/ chatting/ VOIP)
Buying products and services 4 2nd most important
Getting entertained 5 Growth areas
Accessing view points 5
• Base: 1669 internet users

23. Top Ten Activities Done on Line
KENYA GLOBAL
Sent or received email (100%)
Sent or received email (100%)
Used a search engine (81%)
Used a search engine (81%)
Used a search engine like Google
Used a search engine like Google Looked up the news (76%)
Looked up the news (76%)
(95%)
(95%) On-line banking (74%)
On-line banking (74%)
Looked up the news (93%)
Looked up the news (93%) Looked up the weather (65%)
Looked up the weather (65%)
Visited a specific website to get
Visited a specific website to get Researched a product or service before
Researched a product or service before
information (90%)
information (90%) buying it (63%)
buying it (63%)
Read newspapers (90%)
Read newspapers (90%) Visited a brand or product website
Visited a brand or product website
Participate in messenger / chats (89%)
Participate in messenger / chats (89%) (61%)
(61%)
Read something in Wikipedia (87%)
Read something in Wikipedia (87%) Paid bills (56%)
Paid bills (56%)
Visited a social networking site (85%)
Visited a social networking site (85%) Watched a video clip (51%)
Watched a video clip (51%)
Searched for information on disease
Searched for information on disease Used a price comparison site (50%)
Used a price comparison site (50%)
(85%)
(85%) Listened to an audio clip (44%)
Listened to an audio clip (44%)
Looked for a job (81%)
Looked for a job (81%)
KNOWLEDGE SEEKING AND MORE TRANSACTIONAL,
SOCIALIZATION MARKETING AND MEDIA
RELATED ACTIVITIES

24. Towards a needs based typology of Kenyan
internet users
Internal
Others K Self
K
External

25. Trends
• Internet motivated mainly by work related activities (as
opposed to leisure)
• Internet use is currently dominated by knowledge
seeking behaviour and communication,
entertainment/media, leisure and commerce are
opportunity areas
On-line banking relatively under-developed
• Many Kenyans search for information on health and
diseases on the internet

26. 3. Social life and engagement

27. The web is widely used for social activities
Messenger chats 89
Visit social networking 85
site e.g Facebook
Upload/download
72
photos
Become a member of an
65
on-line group
Visit a blog 58
Post comments on
48
other people's blogs
Meet someone new via
47
the internet
Make or receive an
47
internet phone call
Visit dating sites 36
Play online games 33

28. Drivers to social networking
Social networks enable me
to keep in contact with
37
people I woudn't normally
be in contact with
It is a cheaper way to keep
25
in touch with many people
It is more interactive than
22
using my personal email
Base: 1421 internet users who have visited a social networking site

29. Social networking
Facebook 96
96% of social
Hi5 38
networkers are
Twitter 37 on Facebook
Linkedin 30
Social network sites are very “sticky”
YouTube 30
5+ times a day 25
Tagged 23 2 - 4 times a day 19
Yahoo 360 20 1 time a day 33
50% have more
MySpace 20 Less often / never 23
than 100
Others (write
in)
10 contacts on their
favourite site
• Base: 1421 internet users who have visited a
social networking site

30. • Base: 1421 internet users who have visited a social networking site
How many contacts do you
have in your favourite Those who visit
online social networking online social
site? networking sites
Base 1421
Less than 10 7
11 to 20 9
21 to 40 10
41 to 60 7
61 to 100 13
101 to 250 23
More than 250 26
Don't know 4

31. 69% up-loaded
photos / videos 56% Joined
56% contributed
brand fan group
to a discussion
48% met in
person with an 40% clicked on
old friend an ad
12% met &
24% met
dated someone
someone face to
face first met
online
6% got a job
• Base: 1421 internet users who have
visited a social networking site

32. Uploaded photos or videos 69
Posted com m ents / testim onials / review s 64
Write inform ation in m y profile 62
Contributed to topics of discussions 56
Joined a fan group of a brand 56
Joined school / university group 49
Met up in person w ith an old friend 48
Answ ered a poll 45
Clicked on advertisem ent 40
Cancelled a friendship/ rem oved som eone 37
t face to face w ith som eone that I originally m et online 24
Looked up ex-partners profiles 24
Met and eventually dated a person 12
• Base: 1421 internet users who have
Posted an advert for m y products / services 12 visited a social networking site
Got a job w hich I applied for 6

33. Who are members of the social network?
Who are in your network on
66% link with
your favourite site?
1421
family and friends
Work colleagues 52 abroad
Business contacts in the country 27
Business contacts outside the country 21
Friends/family living in the country 76
Friends/family living outside the country 66 40% keep in touch
Online contacts who I have not met in
person 40 with people they
have never met in
person
• Base: 1421 internet
users who have visited
a social networking site

34. • Keeping in contact, cost effectiveness and the level of interaction key
drivers behind social networking
• Not widely used for business or job
• Dating and games not as widely used as other forms of interaction
• Way in which people interact internationally

35. 4. Marketing

36. On-line consumers do much of their
research on-line these days
Researched online for or about
78%
product or service (98%)
51% Researched on-line but bought
direct
63% Know product in advance
81% Start with search engine (70%)
29% Ever bought online (94%)
Comparisons are with on-line consumer study in
Australia, China, India, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore. 6,000 interviews. Q4 2008

37. Payment
20% have
bought on-
line using a
card
11% ordered
on line but
paid direct to
provider

38. Lack of local delivery service and secure
on-line payment main problem
Delivery to Kenya is very expensive 23
88% would
Lack of means of online payment 21
like to buy
It is not secure to buy products/service 21
There are no local online providersand
on-line of products or services 16
Products / services cannot be delivered 16
pay using
Manufacturers / service providers that I like don’t sell online 9
mobile
It is expensive to buy products/service 5
money
Cannot find what I am looking for 3
I cannot get variety to choose from online
transfer 3

39. Online services a. Ever b. Would like
used to use
% %
Payment of bills 16 51
Online Banking 19 39
On line courses 28 33
Purchase of computers (laptop desktop) 14 31
Purchase of mobile gadgets (mobile phone PDA MP3) 11 31
Purchase of tickets for cinema / theatre / concerts 4 31
Purchase of home appliances 3 32
Paying for Music / Movie downloads 18 28
Purchase of books 24 28
Booking of Hotels / Restaurants 23 26
Automotive purchases (cars motorcycles) 10 22
Purchase of airline tickets 31 23
Software downloads 30 23
Audio visual (TV radio Hi Fi etc.) 3 21
Cosmetics: skin care/ hair care products 6 16
Dating sites 13 4

40. Online services Would like to
use
%
Payment of bills 51
Online Banking 39
On line courses 33
Purchase of computers (laptop desktop) 31
Purchase of mobile gadgets (mobile phone PDA MP3) 31
Purchase of tickets for cinema / theatre / concerts 31
Purchase of home appliances 32
Paying for Music / Movie downloads 28
Purchase of books 28
Booking of Hotels / Restaurants 26
Automotive purchases (cars motorcycles) 22
Purchase of airline tickets 23
Software downloads 23
Audio visual (TV radio Hi Fi etc.) 21
Cosmetics: skin care/ hair care products 16
Dating sites 4

41. Advertising
92% seen an ad
on-line
45% of these,
influenced to
buy
• Base: 1669 internet users

42. Ways of becoming aware of an
internet site that you have visited?
From search engines like Google 90
From advertisements in other
29
media
Through online invites from
22
friends
From adverts / sponsored links
18
on search
Through email adverts/links 17
By word of mouth 10
From Pop ups within a website
5
when doing
From literature e.g. book epilogue 3
From product packaging 1
• Base: 1669 internet users

43. Most believable product / service
reviews?
Reviews by people
who have used it 44%
Manufacturer’s site 30%
Dedicated site
for product review 11%
Blogs 4%
Information in
advertisements 3%

44. When it comes to product / service reviews
on the internet, which one source is most
believable?
• Base: 514 internet users who have visited a social networking site
Email links sent to you by sites and 4
manufacturers 1
Proposals by sellers on specific products
and services tailored to your interests 2
4
Information in advertisements 3
12
2nd most important
Blogs (in general) 4 Most important
Dedicated websites for product reviews 25
(e.g. Cheap Flight, CNET, TripAdvisor, etc) 16
Reviews by people who have used the 26
service or product 44
Manufacturer's / Service provider's 23
website 30

45. Nokia
Safaricom
HP Compaq
Dell
Samsung
Sony Top 20 sites
Kenya Airways
Toyota
Apple
Microsoft
Nation Media Group
Hewlett Packard
Sony Ericsson
Google
Zain
Toshiba
LG
East African Breweries Limited (EABL)
Amazon
• Base: 1466 Internet users who visited the
Orange/Telkom official website of a manufacturer or provider

46. How to make your site interesting:
Which one of the following are you
most interested I down-loading from
the internet?
e-Books 35
Academic
19
papers
Music 13
Movies/videos 12
Photos 3
Ring-tones 3
Games 2
Wallpaper 1
• Base: 1669 internet users

47. What are they looking for when
researching products?
Detail of product / service specification 88
Comparison of prices so as to get the best price 72
A comparison between different products 63
Consumer / user reviews 57
Professional reviews (reviews done by
53
professional reviewers)
Which products and brands exist in each product /
48
service category
Places/addresses to buy the products/services
42
offline
Websites to buy or subscribe to the products/
33
services online

48. Barriers to internet banking
39% would like to do internet banking
Scared of fraud (27%)
My bank does not offer it (20%)
Never considered it (15%)
Not relevant to me (14%)
Like to deal with a real person (7%)
The bank has many restrictions (7%)
Don’t know how to set it up (5%)
Cant be bothered with it (3%)

49. Learning
• Marketeers need to embrace the internet --- widely used currently for
researching products
• Improve payment options
• Develop local delivery options
• Monitor with what others are saying about your products

50. 5. Knowledge

51. Information seeking behaviour on the
,Use search engines like Google
95
internet
Yahoo
Visit news websites 93
Visit a specific website to get
information 90
Read newspapers online 90
Read something in Wikipedia 87
Search for information on health
or disease 85
Search for government related
information 79
Research on the internet for or
about product or service 78
Search for Kenyan local
information 70
Read magazines online 69
Visit / use on-line education
modules 65
Watch TV in general online 28
Write your own blog 21

52. Which have ever accessed /would
like to access information on?
Base: 1669 internet users
Information areas Ever Would
accessed like to
access
Education & (%) (%)
Educational material health key areas 76 61
Online courses 55 54
Information on training institutions 63 51
Diagnosis of a disease from symptoms that you or others you know
are suffering 60% don’t 54 47
always trust the
General background or information on a disease 52 45
Tourism information on 45 41
Information on what drugs to take for a particular disease 34 40
the internet
Checking up on the diagnosis that you have been given by a health
care professional 33 38
Price of healthcare products
39% often don’t 14 38
HIV / AIDS find the 40 38
Reproductive health - (pregnancy and childbirth) they
information 40 36
Agricultural information 20 27
are looking for
Weather 26 24

53. Are there enough Kenyan sites?
29% Kenyan sites
Online time
spent on…
71% Foreign sites
89%
Too few Kenyan sites

54. Top 10 suggested Kenyan sites
Educational Information /
e learning 38
Business related / e
commerce 28
Entertainment 16
Social networking 10
Job Adverts 10
Training Research 8
News 8
Culture 7

55. Learning
• Opportunity for Kenyan content
• Especially e-learning and education
• Business and commerce
• Entertainment

56. 6. GOK

57. Top 10 GOK sites
88% have
Kenya Revenue Authority 26
Public service commissionor
visited a GOK 11
parastatal site
Kenya National Examination Council 7
Higher Education Loans Board 6
Central bank of Kenya 6
Department of immigration Kenya 5
27% found site
Kenya wildlife service website
very useful 4
The Kenya ICT Board Site 4
www.information.go.ke 4
e-Government 2

58. Information needs from GOK
Status of ID / Passport application 69
Submission of income tax returns 65
Legal information/legal regulations/ provisions 56
Development projects being funded (e.g. CDF) / how money is spent / budgetary information 54
Exam results and candidate selection 54
Public service and Para-statal jobs 52
Report corruption cases 50
Constitution review process and copies of drafts 49
Government performance contracts (what each Government Body is supposed to do) 47
Population information (following the recent population census) 46
Health information 45
Customs and excise services 43
HELB loan repayment status 43
Disease outbreaks 42
Parliamentary proceedings 36
Roads construction projects (program for construction) 34
How and where to access agricultural information 29

59. Finally, some suggestions to GOK on how to
enhance internet access...
Increase internet connection in rural areas 32
Digitize more of the government services 27
Regulate the costs 21
Provide education on how to use the internet and its
benefits 15
Policy making on Internet usage 3
Other 2