Kenya Proposes Metered Internet Billing to Curb Unfair Data Charges

Nairobi, Kenya – May 23 — A new bill introduced in Kenya’s Parliament could reshape how internet users are charged for data, as lawmakers seek to mandate a metered billing system across the country’s telecommunications sector.

The proposed legislation, sponsored by Member of Parliament Marianne Kitany, would require all internet service providers (ISPs) and telecom companies—including leading firms like Safaricom, Zuku, and Airtel—to assign each customer a unique “meter number” to transparently track individual data consumption and bill accordingly.

According to Kitany, the initiative aims to eliminate the ambiguity surrounding current flat-rate and bundled data plans, which she says often result in consumers unknowingly overpaying or subsidizing heavy users.

“Kenyan consumers deserve transparency and fairness in how they are charged for internet services,” Kitany stated. “This bill will help end opaque billing systems and ensure that users pay only for what they use.”

Under the proposed metered system, customers would be billed in direct proportion to their actual data usage—akin to utility models used for electricity or water. Proponents argue that this would empower consumers with better control over their spending and introduce a more equitable pricing structure in a rapidly digitizing economy.

However, the proposal is not without controversy. Some industry experts and small ISPs have raised concerns about the high costs of implementing metering infrastructure, as well as the potential disruption to existing billing models.

“There’s no doubt that transparency is important,” said a telecom analyst based in Nairobi, “but a sudden shift to metered billing could increase overheads for providers and possibly lead to higher operational costs for consumers in the short term.”

The bill is currently under preliminary review and will be subjected to public participation before being debated further in Parliament.

If passed, the legislation would mark a significant shift in Kenya’s digital economy, introducing stricter regulation and oversight in a market that has grown rapidly but often without clear consumer safeguards.