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Online KCSE Results Extend Telcos’ Lockout from SMS Revenues
Nairobi, 9 January 2026 — The decision by the Kenya National Examinations Council and the Ministry of Education to make the 2025 KCSE results available only online has prolonged a significant loss of seasonal revenue for mobile network operators (telcos) that previously earned millions through SMS results services.
For the third consecutive year, candidates have been instructed to access individual examination results through the official KNEC online portal, entering their index number and personal details — a shift away from the traditional SMS-based result queries that once generated substantial income for telcos.
Impact on Mobile Operators
Under the phased-out SMS system, students would send their exam index numbers to a short code and receive results in return. With 993,226 candidates sitting the 2025 exams, this service could have generated nearly KSh 50 million in gross transaction value if each candidate accessed results once.
However, the exclusive reliance on the web-based portal now bypasses mobile messaging channels, effectively cutting telcos out of the lucrative short-term revenue stream.
Benefits and Challenges of the Online System
Officials say the digital approach centralises results dissemination and improves data control by anchoring access within KNEC’s infrastructure. However, it also places heavy demand on internet connectivity and requires candidates to have internet-enabled devices — an issue in rural and low-connectivity areas where basic feature phones and traditional SMS were more accessible.
The shift reflects the government’s broader push to digitise public services, even as stakeholders weigh the trade-offs between improved administrative control and equitable access across diverse socioeconomic groups in Kenya.
Source:
Online KCSE results extend telcos’ lockout from SMS revenues, Business Daily Africa (9 Jan. 2026)
