Majority of Kenyans spend up to six hours on social media daily – report

MOST Kenyans spend between three to six hours on social media platforms daily, an industry survey indicates, a trend also replicated in Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa and Uganda.

This, as WhatsApp, Facebook and YouTube remain the top three most used platforms, followed by TikTok, Instagram and X (Twitter), the Smartphone and Social Media Usage 2025 survey buy global research firm– GeoPoll indicates.

Other platforms are LinkedIn, Snapchat, Pinterest,Threads and Reddit, with smartphones being the most used gadget (98%).

Between 2023 and 2025, social media usage in Africa has evolved from platform-specific engagement to near-universal adoption, with 98 per cenrt of respondents in 2025 reporting active use.

“While Facebook maintained its dominant position with 82 per cent usage in both years, WhatsApp surged ahead in 2025, becoming the most-used platform at 90 per cent, highlighting a shift toward private messaging and real-time communication,” GeoPoll says in its report.

TikTok and Instagram also experienced notable growth, rising from 60 per cent to 72 per cent and 54 per cent to 60 per cent, respectively, driven by their visual and interactive content formats.

Meanwhile, Twitter/X remained stable at 49 per cent.  Platforms like LinkedIn, Snapchat, and Pinterest showed steady increases, reflecting growing interest in professional networking, ephemeral content and inspiration-based media.

GeoPoll, powered by TuCho conducted a study between July 22 and 25th via GeoPoll’s mobile web platform, reaching a total of 3,945 respondents across four African countries: Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda and Kenya,

Overall usage shows that 31 per cent of users engage for one to three hours. In addition, 20 per cent of users report spending six to nine hours on social media, while nine per cent dedicate nine to 12 hours.

A smaller segment, around seven per cent, spends more than half of their day on social media, with this data highlighting the significant amount of time many individuals invest in these online interactions.

In terms of how phones are used, browsing the internet emerged as the top activity (85%), followed closely by making voice and video calls (80%), and sending text messages (SMS) (80%).

Other common uses include accessing social media platforms (78%), using chat apps such as WhatsApp (74%), and sending or receiving emails (71%).

As part of the broader social media usage trends, WhatsApp stands out not only as the most widely used platform but also as one of the most versatile.

The majority of respondents (91%) use WhatsApp primarily for personal and group messaging, reinforcing its role as a central tool for everyday communication.

Additionally, 79 per cent of users share daily moments via status updates, while 78 per cent use it for voice and video calls, showcasing its multifunctional capabilities.

Media sharing is also prevalent, with 69 per cent of respondents engaging in this activity, and 64 per cent report using WhatsApp for business purposes, such as showcasing product catalogs and interacting with clients.

When asked whether they had ever purchased a product advertised on social media, a substantial 80 per cent of respondents answered “yes”, indicating that social media plays a significant role in influencing consumer behavior.

“This strong majority highlights the effectiveness of social media platforms as marketing and e-commerce channels, particularly in shaping buying decisions through targeted ads, influencer promotions and engaging visual content,” the report states, as Kenya remains among countries with a high smartphone and internet penetration in Africa.

Smartphone penetration in Kenya was 80.8 per cent as of March 2025, according to the Communications Authority of Kenya, representing over 42 million smartphone devices on active networks. 

This figure is a result of ongoing growth, driven by factors such as service provider promotions, the increasing availability of affordable devices through financing (Lipa mdogo mdogo) and a growing demand for high-speed internet for digital services like e-learning and e-commerce.

When asked about the impact of social media on their overall well-being and mental health, the majority of respondents reported a positive experience. Specifically, 60 per cent described the impact as very positive, while an additional 23 per cent felt it was somewhat positive.

About 16 per cent remained neutral, suggesting a balanced or mixed experience with only a small fraction perceived any harm, with two per cent indicating a somewhat negative impact and one per cent reporting a very negative effect.

Overall, the data suggests that most users associate their social media use with enhanced well-being and mental health.

A global analysis using nationally representative data from the 2020 Wellcome Global Monitor (among residents of 15 years and above in 113 countries), found that social media use increases the risk of self‑reported generalised anxiety and depression worldwide—including in low, middle and high‑income settings.

The recent study also reveals that more than half of the respondents (53%) have taken a break from social media at some point due to its negative impact on their well-being, while 48 per cent have never paused from social media usage.