Isaac Katende, popularly known as Kasuku, has been ranked Uganda’s leading social media influencer, while Sheila Price has emerged as the country’s top TikTok creator, according to the latest Uganda National Media Survey (UNMS) conducted by Market Intelligence Group.
The findings are drawn from data collected across 146 districts nationwide and will be officially unveiled during the survey’s launch in the coming days.
The Uganda National Media Survey assessed media consumption patterns across radio, television, print and digital platforms, providing a comprehensive overview of how Ugandans access news, information and entertainment.
According to the survey’s Principal Investigator, Dr. Joel Isabirye, the study is intended to generate reliable data on changing media consumption habits to support academic research, advertising strategies, policy formulation and policy evaluation.
“The survey provides a comprehensive picture of Uganda’s changing media landscape, particularly as digital platforms continue to reshape how audiences access information, entertainment and news. Understanding these shifts is important for media practitioners, advertisers, researchers and policymakers,” Dr. Isabirye said.
The survey highlights the growing dominance of digital platforms in Uganda’s media ecosystem as internet and smartphone penetration continues to expand.
Data from the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) indicates that Uganda has 47.5 million mobile phone connections, with approximately 20.3 million smartphones currently in use. The country is also home to an estimated 11.4 million WhatsApp users, 11.3 million TikTok users and at least 7.2 million YouTube users.
Dr. Isabirye noted that TikTok has emerged as Uganda’s fastest-growing and most influential social media platform, driven by an explosion of user-generated content and a rapidly expanding community of digital creators.
“TikTok, in particular, has become the most popular platform, hosting vast amounts of user-generated content. New personalities continue to emerge every day, making it increasingly important to monitor their reach and influence,” he said.
The inclusion of influencer rankings in the Uganda National Media Survey underscores the increasing significance of digital content creators in shaping public discourse, consumer behaviour and online engagement, alongside traditional media platforms.
