NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 18 — Kenyan businesses are adopting local internet domains at a pace more than four times the global average, as small enterprises increasingly turn to websites and e-commerce to participate in the digital economy.

📻 Breaking It Down

The Kenya Network Information Centre (KeNIC), which manages Kenya’s .ke country-code top-level domain, recorded a 16.06 per cent year-on-year increase in domains under management between June 2025 and June 2026.

The number of .ke domains rose from 111,268 to 129,140, an increase of 17,872 domains, according to KeNIC data.

The growth compares with an average 3.6 per cent increase across the global country-code top-level domain (ccTLD) market and 5.1 per cent for the established .com and .net domains.

📌 What You Need to Know

The total global domain base grew by 8.1 per cent, while new generic top-level domains (gTLDs) recorded stronger growth of 34 per cent.

Hildah Maina, KeNIC’s Finance and Strategy Manager, said the performance reflected growing demand for Kenyan digital identities and the role local registrars are playing in bringing more businesses online.

Maina was speaking on behalf of KeNIC Chief Executive Andrew Lewela.

“We have seen our own registry, that is the .ke registry, growing by 16 per cent in the last H1 as compared to the last H1 in 2025. And when you compare it to the global market, the ccTLD overall grew by 3.6 per cent,” Maina said.

She said KeNIC had been supporting registrars in their modernisation efforts to make it easier for businesses and individuals to establish an online presence.

KeNIC is the sole registry responsible for administering, managing and operating .ke domains in Kenya.

📰 Source: Capital FM Kenya