Product info
Nairobi eSIM plans
| 2GB prepaid eSIM · 7 days | $13.49$6.75 / GB | Buy eSIM |
| 3GB prepaid eSIM · 14 days | $18.99$6.33 / GB | Buy eSIM |
| Ohayu recommends5GB prepaid eSIM · 30 days | $31.49$6.30 / GB | Buy eSIM |
| 10GB prepaid eSIM · 30 days | $53.49$5.35 / GB | Buy eSIM |
| 15GB prepaid eSIM · 60 days | $63.49$4.23 / GB | Buy eSIM |
| 20GB prepaid eSIM · 90 days | $68.49$3.42 / GB | Buy eSIM |
You can install your eSIM before the trip and activate it when you arrive in Kenya. Validity starts after eSIM activation.
Plan details
How much mobile data you need
What's the best eSIM for Nairobi?
A few days – 2 GB
Maps, ride-hailing, the park.
Safari and coast – 5 GB
Two weeks, Mara and Mombasa.
Kenya widely – 15 GB
Plus a Tanzania plan if you cross.
Working from Nairobi – 20 GB
A growing tech base - tethering.
Coverage and network
Coverage city, park and the Rift
Kenya mobile networks
Kenya averages about 45 Mbps and Nairobi around 70. Safaricom is dominant to a degree that has no real parallel elsewhere - it carries most of the country's traffic and effectively runs the national payments system through M-Pesa, which shapes how much you depend on being connected.
Speedtest Global Index · Mobile · Nairobi · June 2026
Download
69.96 Mbps
Upload
13.32 Mbps
Latency
24 ms
Global rank
#111 of 98
Nairobi and Kenya, specifically
- Westlands, Kilimani, the CBD: Reliable 4G with 5G in parts. Nairobi's tech sector is substantial and the business districts are well served.
- Paying for things: M-Pesa runs on mobile money and is used for everything from taxis to market stalls. A working connection is closer to essential here than in most countries - though note M-Pesa needs a Kenyan number, so a roaming eSIM gets you data and maps rather than the payment system itself. Carry some cash.
- Nairobi National Park: Genuinely inside the city, and covered across most of it - you can watch rhino with the skyline behind them and full signal.
- The Maasai Mara: Camps and lodges have coverage or Wi-Fi, and Safaricom reaches much of the reserve. Out on a game drive it drops between masts, and the western conservancies are thinner.
- The Rift Valley and the highlands: The main roads and towns are covered. Away from them - the escarpment tracks, Hell's Gate, the Aberdares - coverage falls away and the roads get hard.
All of Kenya
The plan covers the whole country - Nairobi, the Mara, Mombasa, Amboseli. Tanzania is a separate plan, which matters if you are crossing to the Serengeti.
How to install eSIM
Connected in 3 steps
- 01
Buy before you fly
Choose your data plan before your trip.
- 02
Download & install
Log in to your account, tap your eSIM, and follow the on-screen instructions.
- 03
Land & activate
Activate when you arrive in Kenya. Turn on roaming for the eSIM and it connects to a local network.
Before you buy, make sure your phone supports eSIM — see Ohayu compatible devices list or dial *#06#. It's a free request to your phone's settings. If you see the EID number — your phone is eSIM-compatible.
Arriving in Nairobi
Airport Wi-Fi at JKIA
Jomo Kenyatta has free terminal Wi-Fi. The road into the city is notoriously congested, and ride-hailing rather than a kerbside negotiation is the standard advice - which needs data before you leave the terminal.
Side by side
Nairobi eSIM Comparison
Indicative comparison based on publicly listed Kenya plans as of August 2026. Competitor pricing and policies change - check their sites for current terms.
Frequently asked questions
Where to buy a SIM card in Nairobi?
Safaricom shops are everywhere, including at JKIA, and Airtel is cheaper for data. Kenya requires registration against an identity document, and the process has tightened - expect your passport to be recorded properly rather than waved at.
Can I use M-Pesa on a travel eSIM?
No, and this is worth being clear about. M-Pesa is tied to a Kenyan mobile number, so a roaming eSIM gives you data, maps and messaging but not the payment system. If you want M-Pesa you need a local Safaricom line. Plenty of visitors run both - a roaming eSIM for data from the moment they land, and a local SIM later if they decide they need mobile money.
Is there coverage on safari in the Mara?
At camps, mostly yes. Safaricom reaches a fair amount of the reserve, so you will have intermittent signal on drives, dropping between masts and in the western conservancies. If you are flying in from Wilson, the strips have coverage but nothing en route.
eSIM not working in Nairobi?
Out on a game drive or in the Aberdares, gaps are expected. In the city, the usual cause is the data-line setting - Ohayu selected for mobile data, roaming allowed, then an Airplane mode toggle. Chat and support@ohayu.com are open 24/7.
