COVID-19: Kenya sees ‘rise in streaming demand’

Streaming apps are now key platforms for artists to connect with fans. "Kenyan R&B and hip hop artist Nyashinski performed to a 15 000 YouTube live-stream audience and 8 000 people on Instagram Live," the report says.

The report was released by digital growth consultancy company Nendo. It looks at the impact of COVID-19 in the following sectors: communications, retail financial services and payments, connectivity, education, food and supplies, healthcare, income generation, and mobility.

The report says TikTok’s popularity has skyrocketed in Kenya, one of the most developed African countries in terms of internet accessibility and smartphone usage for multimedia content.

"TikTok is quickly solidifying its place as the world’s leading short-video mobile entertainment platform, as predicted in Nendo’s 2020 Digital Trend Report. In Kenya in 2019, TikTok grew 487% in downloads compared to 2018," it said.

The report also notes an increase in Twitter activity as well as a rise in mobile data usage, with more consumers watching video streaming service Netflix. Netflix traffic on telco Safaricom’s mobile data and home fibre network rose fourfold between March and mid-April.

Sports-betting websites have been replaced by adult entertainment sites, which "have seen a rise in web traffic, even discounting premium memberships to encourage people to stay home during COVID-19," the report says.

Download the full report below (attached).