The shift from the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) to the Social Health Authority (SHA) on October 1, 2024, represented a significant transformation in Kenya’s healthcare financing system.
Latest statistics from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics 2026 Economic Survey show that Nairobi City leads the country in SHA adoption, with more than 1.6 million registered residents.
This substantial advantage demonstrates the effect of concentrated urban outreach and high employment density in the capital region.
Central and Rift Valley regions also display strong participation, with Kiambu and Nakuru following Nairobi at 832,307 and 730,260 registrations, respectively.
Coastal and Western regions are represented by Mombasa and Kakamega, both exceeding the 700,000 threshold.
Other high-performing counties include Bungoma, Kisumu, Machakos, Homa Bay, and Kisii.
These figures indicate a consistent national progression toward universal health coverage, showing increasing public faith in the digital transformation of health services and the systematic enrollment of beneficiaries across various geographical areas.