The Nairobi narrative: How Kenyan podcasters reclaimed earphones in 2025

If you needed proof that local podcasting is gaining momentum in Kenya, look no further than Spotify’s top podcast charts for 2025. The days of foreign shows dominating local listening are in the rear view as Kenyan creators cruise to dominance over their international counterparts. 

The data from Spotify Wrapped 2025 shows that Kenyans want to see and hear themselves in their favourite shows. 

In a top 10 list that used to be peppered with American and British  exports, local voices have set up a permanent residence. Leading the pack is So This Is Love, hosted by the indomitable Julia Gaitho (Jules). 

Jules’ show has become akin to a national therapy session as she has mastered the art of holding space for heartbreak and healing, with episodes like “Sophia & Bumpy” and “Grace & Malcolm” dominating the top podcast episodes chart. The show’s ability to turn vulnerability into viral moments speaks to a hunger for authentic, unscripted Kenyan reality where vulnerability is celebrated rather than concealed. 

The banter battalion 

Following closely in second place is The97sPodcast. If So This Is Love is the therapy session, this show is the raucous hang-out spot afterwards. Hosts Trevor, Frank, and Dante (the self-proclaimed 3MenArmy) have turned banter into a fine art, resonating deeply with a Gen Z audience that sees their own chaotic lives reflected in the trio’s conversations. 

The dominance of the bored-at-home genre has evolved into high-production storytelling. The fourth placed Mic Cheque Podcast and ninth positioned The Sandwich Podcast have cemented their places within this podcast category. Mic Cheque, with hosts Chaxy, Mariah, and Mwass, has moved beyond simple industry gossip to become an archive of Kenyan entertainment history, while The Sandwich Podcast continues to serve the specific, high-energy humour that defines Nairobi’s youth culture. 

From URL to IRL  

Perhaps the most significant trend of 2025 is the migration of these digital communities into the real world. The podcast studio is no longer enough; creators are now filling auditoriums. 

●The Sandwich Podcast has turned its Sandwich Sundays into must-attend calendar events, blending live recording with the vibe of a music festival. 

●The Messy Inbetween, hosted by Murugi Munyi and Lydia K.M., uses its TMI brand to expand into live experiences that feel like massive girls’ trips, solidifying the bond between hosts and listeners. 

●Kenyan media personality and activist Adelle Onyango’s Legally Clueless continues to lead the way in wellness, hosting group therapy workshops that offer tangible value beyond the regular episodes. 

On September 6 2025, Spotify hosted live podcast sessions in Kenya featuring The Messy Inbetween and So This is Love, who remain some of the country’s top influential podcasts that tracked attendees countrywide.

This spotlights the country’s rapidly growing culture of podcast listening and creator engagement. 

Storytellers and educators  

The charts also reveal a sophisticated palette among Kenyan listeners. It’s not all vibes; people are listening to learn.

On The Mkurugenzi Podcast, Abel Mutua flexes his storytelling abilities by holding an audience captive with nothing but a microphone and a memory.

Meanwhile, Financially Incorrect with Barrack Bukusi has become essential listening for a generation trying to navigate the complex economics of modern Kenya, debunking money myths one episode at a time. 

Despite dominant local favourites, Kenyans are also looking abroad for self-improvement content.

Shows like The Diary of a CEO with Steven Bartlett and The Mel Robbins Podcast continue to offer listeners a mix of entrepreneurial insight and strategic life lessons that complement their broader audio habits. 

A unique ecosystem 

Even the niche genres are thriving locally. True Crime Kenya has successfully adapted a globally popular format to the local context, examining Kenyan cases with the nuance that only a local host like D.M. Nur can provide. 

For the past few years, Kenyan podcasting has been shaped by a clear and consistent movement: creators leaning confidently into their own voices, stories, and communities.

Rather than seeking external validation, they’ve continued to invest in loyal listeners, take their shows on the road, and centre narratives that feel unmistakably local. 

This sustained embrace of authenticity has helped build a self-reinforcing ecosystem, one where the most valuable accent remains the one you hear on the streets of Nairobi. 

Spotify Wrapped 2025 top podcasts in Kenya 

Spotify Wrapped 2025 top podcast episodes in Kenya