Full Breakdown
Faiba Dominates Kenya's Fixed Internet Market in 2026
4/9/2026, 1:45:20 PM
Overview of the 2026 nPerf Rankings
In the latest nPerf annual report, Faiba has emerged as Kenya's leading fixed internet provider, achieving top scores across all major performance categories for the first time. The operator's overall nPerf score surged from 53,975 to 67,150, significantly outpacing second-placed VGG Connect, which scored 59,321 points. Faiba's download speed averaged 62.68 Mb/s, marking an 89% year-on-year improvement, while its upload speed reached 44.42 Mb/s. The company also excelled in YouTube streaming performance, achieving a 69.47% success rate.
Key Competitors and Their Performance
VGG Connect, a relatively new player founded in 2018, has made a notable entry into the rankings, finishing second overall. Despite lower download speeds averaging 21.36 Mb/s, its exceptional latency of 14.20 ms has positioned it as a strong competitor, particularly for users requiring real-time responsiveness. Safaricom maintained its third-place position with a steady score of 55,978 points, showing improvements in upload speeds and YouTube streaming. Zuku and Airtel followed, with Zuku recording a significant 39% increase in download speeds, while Airtel, despite the largest upload speed improvement of 61%, struggled with the highest latency at 50.15 ms.
Market Dynamics and Changes
The 2026 nPerf report highlights a significant shift in Kenya's fixed broadband sector. Notably, Telkom Kenya and Mawingu have dropped out of the rankings, replaced by VGG Connect and Airtel, indicating a changing competitive landscape. The report underscores a general improvement across all five operators, with each recording higher scores than the previous year. However, it also reveals persistent challenges, such as over half of Airtel's download speed tests falling below 10 Mb/s, raising concerns about the overall user experience.
Official Statements & Responses
Sébastien de Rosbo, CEO of nPerf, remarked on the sector's maturation, stating, "The data confirms a market that is maturing and investing in better infrastructure." This sentiment reflects the broader trend of increasing investment in internet capabilities across Kenya.
Criticism & Opposition
Despite the positive trends, some analysts have raised concerns about the representativeness of the nPerf data. Faiba's user base, accounting for only 12% of the test sample, may skew results favorably compared to Safaricom's broader reach. Critics argue that this could misrepresent the overall performance landscape, particularly for users in less urbanized areas.
What's Next
As the competitive dynamics continue to evolve, the focus will likely shift towards addressing latency issues, particularly for providers like Airtel. The ongoing investments in infrastructure by all operators suggest that the market will continue to improve, potentially leading to further shifts in rankings in the coming years.
