Multinational received a total of Sh11billion in advertising revenue from Kenya in Q1,2025-26 Suss Ads founder and chief executive Dennis Maina /HANDOUT Suss Ads founder and chief executive Dennis Maina /HANDOUT Kenyan technology firms are stepping up efforts to capture a larger share of the country's fast-growing digital advertising market, challenging the dominance of global platforms.
The push comes as spending on online advertising continues to rise, even as global technology companies continue to command the lion's share of the market. Data from the Communications Authority of Kenya's Audience Measurement and Industry Trends Report for the third quarter of the 2025/26 financial year shows Meta remained the biggest beneficiary of local digital advertising budgets.
In the review period Facebook accounting for Sh6.1 billion, or 52 per cent of total spending, while Instagram attracted Sh3.2 billion, representing 27 per cent. YouTube captured 23 per cent of advertising expenditure and TikTok accounted for 10 per cent during the period.
Industry players say the dominance of global platforms has left many businesses dependent on advertising systems designed for mature markets that do not always reflect African consumer behaviour, internet connectivity patterns or media consumption habits. As a result, a growing number of Kenyan advertising technology (AdTech) firms are developing home-grown software that they say is tailored to African consumers and businesses.
One of the firms, Nairobi-based Suss Ads, says demand for locally developed advertising technology has increased as more companies shift marketing budgets from traditional media to digital platforms, driven by higher smartphone penetration, expanding internet access and the growth of e-commerce.
"We realised early that technology designed for mature markets doesn't always reflect how businesses and consumers interact across Africa. Businesses here need advertising solutions that understand local audiences, local publishers and the digital platforms people actually use every day," said the firm's founder and chief executive Dennis Maina.
Kenya's internet advertising market is the fastest-growing in the world, projected to expand at a 16 per cent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) and reach $470 million (Sh60.82 billion) in revenue by 2029, according to the PwC Africa Entertainment & Media Outlook.