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In a digital age where screens dominate, radio remains a powerful force in Kenya, with a staggering audience base of 22,838,834 people.
The Ipsos data paints a detailed picture of who’s listening, where they are, and which stations dominate the airwaves.
In radio terms, share is a percentage of total listening time and means people stay longer and find a particular radio station more engaging. If the number is low, the radio station is likely not interesting.
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Top Radio Stations
At the top of the leaderboard is Citizen Radio, commanding 17.3% of all radio share, having been in the radio space for over 20 years.
Radio47, a newcomer in the game at only two years old, is second with a 7.5% market share.
In third place is Kameme Radio (6.9%), an affiliate of Mediamax Limited. Ramogi FM and Radio Jambo are fourth (6.1% each), with Radio Maisha (5.1%), Milele FM (4.9%), and Inooro FM (4.3%) following closely.
These figures reveal that vernacular and regional stations still hold strong sway across different communities, while national stations like Citizen and Radio47 maintain a diverse and loyal base.
In terms of reach, which is a measure of the percentage of people who tune into a particular radio station over time, the research shows a drop by all major radio stations between the last quarter of 2024 and the first quarter of 2025, with only Radio47 and Kameme FM showing growth.
Prime listening hours
Radio trends show clear spikes in listenership during early morning (around 6:30 AM) and evening hours (around 7:30 PM). This is the time when Kenyans are likely preparing for their day or winding down after work.
These peak times offer prime opportunities for advertisers and content creators looking to engage the masses.
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Youth and rural audiences drive growth
The biggest age group tuning in is the 25–34-year-olds, who make up 33.2% of the audience.
This is followed by the 18–24 age group (25.9%), indicating that radio is far from being an "old people’s medium".
Even teenagers (15–17 years) account for a notable 5.8%.
Surprisingly, rural areas contribute a massive 65.6% of total radio consumption, compared to 34.4% from urban areas.
This urban-rural divide shows the enduring accessibility and affordability of radio in places where digital penetration may still be limited.
Who are the listeners?
The gender split is almost even: 50.2% male and 49.8% female.
From a socio-economic perspective, 39.5% of listeners fall in the LSM C1 group (representing lower-middle income), while 26.6% are in C2, and 22.5% in DE (the lower-income group).
Only 11.4% of the audience is from the upper-income bracket (LSM AB).
Regionally, Central Kenya leads with 18.3% of the audience, followed by Rift Valley (14.8%) and Western Kenya (13.5%).
Nairobi accounts for 9.7%, showing that even Kenya’s capital takes a back seat to rural strongholds when it comes to sheer listener numbers.
Why this matters
For content creators, marketers, and policy influencers, this data is gold. It highlights not only where audiences are but who they are, what time they’re listening, and what content resonates most.
In a world rapidly shifting to streaming and podcasts, Kenya’s love affair with radio is still simmering, especially beyond urban centres.