(NAIROBI, KENYA) – Kenya could take at least 41 years to reach its target of registering one million .ke domain names if the current rate of growth is sustained, the state agency mandated with the registration has said.
The Kenya Network Information Centre (KENIC) says the scale of the challenge facing the country’s internet registry is massive as it prepares a new strategy to accelerate adoption.
The timeline implied by the current registration rate means KENIC would need to significantly increase the pace at which businesses, organisations and individuals register .ke domains if it is to achieve the target within the next few years.
Incoming KENIC chairman Thomas Odhiambo said the one million goal is aimed at increasing the use of Kenya’s country code domain and strengthening the local digital ecosystem, but the latest figures show that the target remains a long way off under the present growth trajectory.
“At the current rate, because at the current rate, our estimate is 41 years. But I think as a board, we have decided we are now lowering that number to about 30 years,” said Odhiambo.
KENIC has identified micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) as one of the biggest potential sources of new registrations.
The organisation estimates that Kenya has more than seven million enterprises, providing a large potential market for .ke domains.
The registry argues that each additional domain represents a business or organisation establishing a digital identity, making domain growth an important indicator of the expansion of online economic activity.
The Kenya Network Information Centre (KENIC) is developing a new strategic plan for the 2027 to 2030 period, with the one million domain target at the centre of its efforts to expand Kenya’s digital economy.
KENIC is therefore seeking to move beyond its traditional customer base and persuade more small businesses to establish their online presence using .ke domains.
The organisation has also recorded periods of faster growth, with monthly registrations reaching about 6,400, its highest pace so far. However, the long term target requires such growth to be sustained and expanded over a much longer period.
At the heart of the new strategy will be finding ways to close this gap, including making .ke domains more attractive to businesses, improving awareness and exploiting new technology.
KENIC has identified artificial intelligence as one area that could help accelerate growth as businesses increasingly move their operations online.
The organisation is also looking beyond Kenya’s borders, targeting the country’s large diaspora as another potential market for .ke domains.
The appointment of Ambassador Thomas Kwaka Omolo, popularly known as Big Ted, as KENIC’s inaugural global .ke ambassador is part of this push.
His role includes promoting the Kenyan domain among Kenyans living abroad and strengthening links between the diaspora and Kenya’s digital economy.
KENIC is also under pressure to ensure that the cost of registering and maintaining a domain does not discourage businesses from adopting a Kenyan digital identity.
“A .ke domain currently costs about KES 1,000 ($7.70 / GBP 6.10) a year, although we will continue engaging the market on pricing,” said the chair.
The registry says affordability, security and the availability of domain names will remain important considerations as it seeks to attract more users.
The new strategy is expected to provide the framework for accelerating registrations between 2027 and 2030, with the ultimate ambition of turning the one million domain target from a long term aspiration into a more immediate growth objective.