Africa

Why 600,000 Kenyans stopped using mobile money in 2023 – Statistics bureau

Why 600,000 Kenyans stopped using mobile money in 2023 – Statistics bureau

The number of Kenyans using mobile money services dropped by 600,000 in the year ending December 2023, according to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS). The KNBS Economic Survey Report 2024 showed a significant decrease from 38.6 million users in 2022 to 38 million users in 2023, attributing the decline to factors such as taxation and cybercrime.

This represented a 1.7% drop in mobile money subscriptions. The report indicated that cybercrime activities more than doubled, from 700 million incidents in 2022 to 1.7 billion in 2023, due to system vulnerabilities.

READ ALSO:

Tech expert Moses Kemibaro noted that cybercrime is a major factor driving the decline in mobile money subscriptions. “In line with global trends, it’s only going to escalate going forward. Individuals and organisations are always at risk and need to be proactive in protecting themselves from cyber threats,” said Kemibaro.

The Finance Act 2023 increased the excise duty on mobile money transfer services from 12% to 15%, leading Safaricom to raise its service charges. Other providers, including Airtel and Telkom Kenya, followed suit. The Finance Bill 2024 proposes further increases in excise duty on money transfer services, which could raise the cost of financial services even more.

Why 600,000 Kenyans stopped using mobile money in 2023 – Statistics bureau

Trends Admin

Recent Posts

ICYMI: Lady who admits having sexual relations with dogs faked death- Actress Abiola Adebayo

ICYMI: Lady who admits having sexual relations with dogs faked death- Actress Abiola Adebayo A…

7 hours ago

Reactions as Sanwo-Olu tells retirees not to gift churches, mosque their pensions

Reactions as Sanwo-Olu tells retirees not to gift churches, mosque their pensions Reactions have trailed Lagos State…

7 hours ago

Nigerian Railway Corporation suspends Warri-Itakpe train after derailment

Nigerian Railway Corporation suspends Warri-Itakpe train after derailment The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has announced the…

7 hours ago

Again, gunmen attack Benue communities, kill 6, raze houses

Again, gunmen attack Benue communities, kill 6, raze houses Gunmen suspected to be bandits wreaking havoc…

8 hours ago

EFCC nabs 3 fraudsters impersonating popular cleric on social media

EFCC nabs 3 fraudsters impersonating popular cleric on social media Three young men identified as Odion Victor,…

8 hours ago

Man, 67, offers two siblings N500 to defile them in Bauchi

Man, 67, offers two siblings N500 to defile them in Bauchi A 67-year-old man in Bauchi has been accused…

8 hours ago