The Kenya Internet Billing Bill 2025: A New Dawn or Just Another Data Drought?
“Chill, relax! It’s just metering…”Well, to a Kenyan, anything that touches the internet is no small matter.It’s not just data — it’s livelihood, connection, and voice.
The Kenya Information and Communication (Amendment) Bill, 2025, currently under consideration, proposes significant changes to how Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in Kenya bill their customers. The legislation aims to introduce a metered billing system for internet usage — similar to how Kenyans pay for electricity or water.
This article explores the Bill’s key provisions, its potential impacts, and how it fits within Kenya’s digital ecosystem — while raising important questions about its effectiveness.
Kenya’s Internet Landscape in Context
Kenya stands out as an ICT powerhouse in East Africa, driven by innovations like M-Pesa and robust mobile broadband coverage. The ICT sector has grown at an average annual rate of 10.8% over the past decade and is expected to contribute over 9% of GDP by 2025. Kenya’s digital growth is fueled by M-Pesa, 97% 4G coverage, and 66M mobile connections. Starlink subscriptions rose 2,000% by mid-2024, now making up 53% of high-speed users. Despite progress, rural gaps, high data costs, and slow speeds remain key challenges.
As of 2023, Kenya had an internet penetration rate of approximately 29%, higher than the East African average but still below Southern Africa’s 67.8%. While mobile internet dominates (97% 4G coverage and 66 million connections), rural access remains patchy. Satellite services like Starlink are on the rise, but high data costs and poor speeds remain barriers, especially for underserved regions.
💡 Why focus on metering in a country where access gaps — especially the last mile — remain a serious challenge?
Across Africa, internet penetration varies widely. As of January 2024, the continent had approximately 646 million internet users, with Nigeria leading at over 103 million. Mobile broadband dominates, with 74% of web traffic in Africa originating from mobile devices, compared to the global average of 59.7%. However, only 0.4% of Africans have fixed-broadband subscriptions, highlighting reliance on mobile networks and the challenge of addressing the "last mile" problem in rural areas.
Overview of the Bill
The Kenya Information and Communication (Amendment) Bill, 2025 proposes updates to the existing ICT laws to align with modern technologies and policies. Its main focus is to enhance transparency in internet billing and ensure consumer protection, as enshrined in Article 46 of Kenya’s Constitution.
🔑 Key Provisions
1. Mandatory Metered Billing
ISPs must implement a metered billing system that assigns each user a unique internet meter number, tracks usage, and generates detailed invoices.
2. Annual Reporting to the Communications Authority
ISPs will be required to submit annual billing reports to the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA), including details of all issued meter numbers.
3. Licensing Compliance
Existing ISP licenses will remain valid until expiration, but new licenses will only be issued if they comply with the metering requirements.
Metered Billing in Other Regions
Metered billing, where users are charged based on data consumption, is not new and has been implemented in various forms globally and in Africa. Examples include:
- South Africa: Some ISPs, such as Vodacom and MTN, offer metered data plans alongside unlimited or bundled options. These plans allow users to pay per megabyte or gigabyte, often with detailed usage tracking via mobile apps or portals.
- Nigeria: Major telcos like Airtel and Glo provide metered data plans, particularly for pay-as-you-go users, with billing based on data consumed. This is complemented by usage alerts to enhance transparency.
- Zimbabwe: Internet Access Providers (IAPs) like Dandemutande have noted challenges with metered systems due to infrastructure limitations, but metered billing is common for mobile data plans.
- Global Examples: In countries like the United States and India, metered billing is offered by some ISPs (e.g., AT&T, Jio) for specific plans, often with caps or tiered pricing based on data usage.
While metered billing can promote transparency, it often requires robust infrastructure and clear consumer communication to avoid disputes over charges.
Potential Impacts of the Bill
✅ Benefits
- Greater Transparency: Consumers can track usage and charges in real time, reducing complaints of “disappearing bundles.”
- Empowered Consumers: Access to detailed billing promotes financial control and informed internet use.
- Standardization: Annual reporting ensures uniform billing practices and regulatory oversight.
⚠️ Challenges
- Data Privacy Concerns: Metered billing may require detailed tracking of user activity, such as session monitoring or deep packet inspection. Without stringent oversight, this could raise privacy risks, especially given past concerns about telcos sharing user data during events like the June 2024 Finance Bill protests.
- Increased Costs: Implementing metered billing systems could involve significant investments in infrastructure, staff training, and compliance audits. These costs may be passed on to consumers, potentially increasing internet prices in a country where affordability remains a challenge.
- Impact on Heavy Users: Metered billing may result in higher charges for users with significant data needs, such as students, remote workers, or small businesses, potentially exacerbating digital inequality.
- Redundancy: Many ISPs already use Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems to track usage and issue alerts. A mandated metered system may duplicate existing capabilities without addressing core issues like network reliability or customer service.
🌐 Broader Considerations
While the Bill aims to improve billing transparency, it doesn’t solve deeper ICT sector challenges — like unreliable networks, poor customer service, and uneven rural access. Kenya would benefit more from strengthening transparency within current systems, investing in digital infrastructure, and promoting user literacy.
The Kenya Information and Communication (Amendment) Bill, 2025 marks a bold attempt to standardize internet billing. But its success will depend on addressing privacy, cost, and inequality concerns. Kenya’s digital future must balance innovation with affordability, security, and accessibility for all.
Want to get involved or stay informed?
Follow updates from the Ministry of Information, Communications, and the Digital Economy or visit the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) website for more details.
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