Health insurance tops search trends that defined the nation

Social Health Authority building in Nairobi. Kenyans sought to know how to check their SHA status and pay for the services. [File, Standard]

As Kenya closed the chapter on 2025, the nation’s digital landscape reveals a population seeking to understand the changes in the new public health insurance system.

Among the 2025 top search charts were the Social Health Authority (SHA) and Afya Yangu, searches that show how Kenyans are deeply preoccupied with health security following the retirement of the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF).

The search spikes were fueled by both the adoption of new digital platforms and the systemic crises that gripped the health sector throughout the year.

This means that health insurance transparency is likely to dominate the online spaces even in 2026.

Among the top Google searches of 2025, Kenyans sought to know how to check their SHA status and pay for the services.

Others sought general information about health insurance. Kenyans also sought to understand Afya Yangu, a digital platform used to register, access services, and manage health information under the SHA for universal health coverage.

The year 2025 marked the official transition when NHIF was fully retired and replaced by the SHA, a more digitised system which has had its fair share of controversies.

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On sports, Kenyans searched for CHAN at record levels because the country co-hosted the African Nations Championship (CHAN 2024) for the first time.

Being a co-host, fans tracked Kenya’s progress, stadium locations and even stadium readiness and controversies throughout the first half of 2025.

In 2025, Raila Odinga ranked the second most searched news item, but for sombre reasons.

While the year began with high hopes for his international career as he campaigned for the chairperson of the African Union Commission, it ended with the nation mourning following his passing.

The single biggest spike in searches occurred following his death on October 15, 2025. Interestingly, the word ‘Enigma,’ a title Raila was long associated with, became the most searched term in the country.

Many searched for details regarding the State funeral in Bondo, Siaya.

While Raila topped the general news and losses lists, the trending Kenyan personalities list features people who shaped culture and politics.

Faith Kipyegon ranked the top trending personality with her record-breaking season, including the 1500m world title in Tokyo.

Winnie Odinga, Oburu Odinga, Edward Kwach and James Orengo also ranked among the most searched personalities.

Kenyans digital footprints not only trace what people were doing, but also sought to understand new terms that became an unofficial linguistic bridge when the country was mourning.

Besides trying to understand ‘Enigma’, Kenyans also sought to understand what ‘Jowi’ meant since the salutation echoed across several social media feeds.

Being the year that marked a rare global transition following the death of Pope Francis in April, Kenyans switched to theological modes to search for ‘Conclave’.

Kenyans searched for the meaning of conclave while trying to understand the ‘locked room’ where cardinals chose their next leader.

To wrap up the year, many Kenyans did not want to look clueless as viral vocabulary trended.

Kenyans sought to know what ‘demure’, a viral aesthetic of being ‘mindful, modest and cutesy’ meant.

Under top trending Music in Kenya in 2025, Harry Belafonte’s ‘Jamaica Farewell’ was the most searched as it was the late Raila Odinga’s favorite song.