Kenya’s advertising market rebounded in the three months to June, with digital platforms and banks overall driving a 12.7 percent rise in spending to Sh14.3 billion as companies restored marketing budgets.

Expenditure was up from Sh12.7 billion in the three months to March, according to records from the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA), signalling renewed promotional activity across selected sectors.

Banking and finance remained the biggest advertising sector, with spending rising 13.5 percent to Sh2.7 billion from Sh2.3 billion in the previous quarter.

Media, publishing and advertising companies were the second-largest spenders at Sh2.3 billion, representing a 24 percent increase from the quarter to March.

Service companies accounted for Sh1.8 billion, while telecoms spent Sh1.2 billion. Spending by the two sectors, however, declined 0.3 percent and 4.9 percent, respectively.

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The regulator said the figures point to selective reinvestment rather than broad-based growth, as advertisers adjusted budgets to sector priorities and market conditions. “Overall, advertising activity is concentrated in banking and finance and servicing companies, while smaller sectors continue to experience significant quarter-to-quarter volatility,” the CA said.

Entertainment and leisure, hygiene and beauty care, and property and building accessories also recorded moderate growth, suggesting renewed promotional activity in those markets.

Office supplies posted the strongest percentage increase, with spending surging 445.6 percent to Sh152 million from Sh28 million in the quarter to March.

Medicine and healthcare recorded the steepest decline, with spending falling 22.7 percent to Sh280 million. Alcoholic drinks, upkeep products and servicing companies also reduced their advertising budgets.

Energy and clothing and accessories recorded positive growth but remained well below their earlier investment levels, the CA said.

The latest increase followed a sharp decline in advertising expenditure at the beginning of the year. Spending stood at Sh18.3 billion between July and September 2025 and Sh17.9 billion between October and December, before falling to Sh12.7 billion in the quarter to March.

Television accounted for the highest spending in the latest quarter, followed by radio. On television, media, publishing and advertising companies led spending at Sh1.6 billion, while banking and finance was the largest spender on radio at Sh1.3 billion.

Servicing companies led print advertising spending at Sh550 million.

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Newspapers — Media, publishing and advertising companies were the second-largest spenders at Sh2.3 billion.

Photo credit: Pool | Nation Media Group

“Television and radio spending generally strengthen during the second half of each year, particularly in the third and fourth quarters before declining at the beginning of the following year, reflecting seasonal budgeting cycles and campaign timing,” the CA said.

Digital channels attracted a growing share of advertising budgets, with spending on Facebook, YouTube, TikTok and Instagram reaching Sh9.1 billion in the quarter, up 22 percent from Sh7.4 billion in the previous quarter.

Retail and e-commerce, fast-moving consumer goods and financial services were the leading spenders on digital platforms in the three months to June.

Facebook accounted for the largest share of digital advertising spending at 63 percent, followed by Instagram at 19 percent and X at seven percent.

Kenyan firms and multinationals have also been allocating more of their advertising budgets to social media ads and paying internet influencers to create sponsored content, promote products and services, or sell directly through their channels.

Nairobi-based research and data analytics firm OdipoDev recently reported that Kenyan influencers collectively earned about Sh1.07 billion from brand-sponsored posts last year.

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dmusau@ke.nationmedia.com