Radio 47 has topped the national Swahili radio rankings as the most listened-to station in Kenya.
Radio 47, owned by Cape Media, marked its third anniversary on March 13, 2026, what started as a bold vision three years ago has grown into a movement.
According to the latest data from Politrack Africa, Radio 47 commands a 24.7% listenership share, putting it ahead of long-standing competitors in the Swahili radio space.
Royal Media’s Radio Citizen came in second with 22.5%, while Radio Africa’s Radio Jambo took third place at 16.7%. Radio Maisha, under Standard Group PLC, ranked fourth at 15.5%, followed by Mediamax Network’s Milele FM at 13.0%.
State broadcaster KBC’s Radio Taifa rounded off the top six with a 7.7% share.
The rankings are a testament to the station’s unique offering as Africa’s first audio-visual radio station, a format that blends traditional audio broadcasting with a visual experience, setting it apart from conventional radio.
The concept has clearly resonated with Kenyan audiences, helping Radio 47 outpace more established competitors in just three years.
The top three stations, Radio 47, Radio Citizen and Radio Jambo, collectively account for over 60% of the total listenership, underscoring just how competitive Kenya’s Swahili radio landscape has become.
Yet it is Radio 47’s rise to the summit, edging out the more established Radio Citizen by just over two percentage points, that stands out as the most striking story in the rankings.
With top radio presenters such as: Alex Mwakideu and Emmanuel Mwashumbe who host the breakfast show (Big Boys), Billy Miya and Mbaruk Mwalimu, hosts of the Maskani 47 show, Mkamburi Chigogo co-hosts Nairobi Juice with Japhe, Dr. Ofweneke on entertainment and comedy, Ali Hassan Kauleni, Manucho, Lucky Herriano (Sports), Ali Hassan Kauleni, Manucho aka The Young Baller, among many others.
As the station celebrated #Radio47At3, it expressed gratitude to its growing audience for being part of a journey that has taken it from a fledgling startup to a dominant force in Kenya’s Swahili media landscape in a remarkably short time.
