External balance on goods and services in Kenya
Kenya: External balance on goods and services was -1.05 trillion current LCU in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
-1.05 trillion current LCU
Change on year
down 3.1%
World rank
165th
of 193 countries
All-time high
16.51 billion current LCU
in 1993
All-time low
-1.13 trillion current LCU
in 2023
Years of data
66
1960–2025
External balance on goods and services in Kenya, 1960–2025
Source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks. Measured in current LCU.
Analysis
The most recent figure for external balance on goods and services in Kenya is -1.05 trillion current LCU, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 3.1% on the previous year and down 52.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external balance on goods and services in Kenya peaked at 16.51 billion current LCU in 1993 and was at its lowest, -1.13 trillion current LCU, in 2023.
That places Kenya 165th out of 193 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
External balance on goods and services in Kenya, year by year
| Year | current LCU | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | -145.50 million current LCU | — |
| 1961 | 89.90 million current LCU | -161.8% |
| 1962 | 118.60 million current LCU | +31.9% |
| 1963 | 203.20 million current LCU | +71.3% |
| 1964 | 298.00 million current LCU | +46.7% |
| 1965 | 50.00 million current LCU | -83.2% |
| 1966 | 128.00 million current LCU | +156.0% |
| 1967 | -80.00 million current LCU | -162.5% |
| 1968 | 10.00 million current LCU | -112.5% |
| 1969 | 150.00 million current LCU | +1400.0% |
| 1970 | -96.00 million current LCU | -164.0% |
| 1971 | -832.00 million current LCU | +766.7% |
| 1972 | -322.00 million current LCU | -61.3% |
| 1973 | -224.00 million current LCU | -30.4% |
| 1974 | -1.53 billion current LCU | +583.9% |
| 1975 | -1.12 billion current LCU | -26.8% |
| 1976 | 202.00 million current LCU | -118.0% |
| 1977 | 1.25 billion current LCU | +519.8% |
| 1978 | -4.00 billion current LCU | -419.3% |
| 1979 | -2.73 billion current LCU | -31.7% |
| 1980 | -3.44 billion current LCU | +26.0% |
| 1981 | -2.08 billion current LCU | -39.4% |
| 1982 | -3.44 billion current LCU | +65.2% |
| 1983 | -1.80 billion current LCU | -47.7% |
| 1984 | -4.73 billion current LCU | +162.8% |
| 1985 | -4.89 billion current LCU | +3.2% |
| 1986 | -4.75 billion current LCU | -2.8% |
| 1987 | -6.68 billion current LCU | +40.6% |
| 1988 | -7.76 billion current LCU | +16.2% |
| 1989 | -12.08 billion current LCU | +55.7% |
| 1990 | -11.07 billion current LCU | -8.4% |
| 1991 | -3.40 billion current LCU | -69.3% |
| 1992 | -1.08 billion current LCU | -68.1% |
| 1993 | 16.51 billion current LCU | -1622.1% |
| 1994 | 11.28 billion current LCU | -31.7% |
| 1995 | -30.53 billion current LCU | -370.8% |
| 1996 | -47.55 billion current LCU | +55.7% |
| 1997 | -66.90 billion current LCU | +40.7% |
| 1998 | -72.82 billion current LCU | +8.9% |
| 1999 | -59.19 billion current LCU | -18.7% |
| 2000 | -98.08 billion current LCU | +65.7% |
| 2001 | -102.88 billion current LCU | +4.9% |
| 2002 | -55.67 billion current LCU | -45.9% |
| 2003 | -67.44 billion current LCU | +21.1% |
| 2004 | -79.73 billion current LCU | +18.2% |
| 2005 | -105.62 billion current LCU | +32.5% |
| 2006 | -172.55 billion current LCU | +63.4% |
| 2007 | -216.36 billion current LCU | +25.4% |
| 2008 | -303.69 billion current LCU | +40.4% |
| 2009 | -275.00 billion current LCU | -9.4% |
| 2010 | -365.00 billion current LCU | +32.7% |
| 2011 | -637.00 billion current LCU | +74.5% |
| 2012 | -567.00 billion current LCU | -11.0% |
| 2013 | -631.00 billion current LCU | +11.3% |
| 2014 | -794.00 billion current LCU | +25.8% |
| 2015 | -693.25 billion current LCU | -12.7% |
| 2016 | -635.28 billion current LCU | -8.4% |
| 2017 | -892.60 billion current LCU | +40.5% |
| 2018 | -871.53 billion current LCU | -2.4% |
| 2019 | -911.51 billion current LCU | +4.6% |
| 2020 | -805.46 billion current LCU | -11.6% |
| 2021 | -1.06 trillion current LCU | +31.1% |
| 2022 | -1.13 trillion current LCU | +6.8% |
| 2023 | -1.13 trillion current LCU | +0.1% |
| 2024 | -1.02 trillion current LCU | -9.4% |
| 2025 | -1.05 trillion current LCU | +3.1% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's -1.05 trillion current LCU is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is -57.12 billion current LCU, 18.4× the median. (45 countries reporting)
- Kenya's -1.05 trillion current LCU is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is -68.31 billion current LCU, 15.4× the median. (45 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where External balance on goods and services in Kenya changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | +1622.1% | -1.08 billion current LCU | 16.51 billion current LCU |
| 1969 | +1400.0% | 10.00 million current LCU | 150.00 million current LCU |
| 1971 | -766.7% | -96.00 million current LCU | -832.00 million current LCU |
| 1974 | -583.9% | -224.00 million current LCU | -1.53 billion current LCU |
| 1977 | +519.8% | 202.00 million current LCU | 1.25 billion current LCU |
| 1978 | -419.3% | 1.25 billion current LCU | -4.00 billion current LCU |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 82.22 million current LCU | -145.50 million current LCU | 298.00 million current LCU | 10 |
| 1970s | -940.20 million current LCU | -4.00 billion current LCU | 1.25 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1980s | -5.17 billion current LCU | -12.08 billion current LCU | -1.80 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1990s | -26.48 billion current LCU | -72.82 billion current LCU | 16.51 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2000s | -147.70 billion current LCU | -303.69 billion current LCU | -55.67 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2010s | -699.82 billion current LCU | -911.51 billion current LCU | -365.00 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2020s | -1.03 trillion current LCU | -1.13 trillion current LCU | -805.46 billion current LCU | 6 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
- 162 Mali -808.18 billion current LCU compare
- 163 United States -898.46 billion current LCU compare
- 164 Ethiopia -1.04 trillion current LCU compare
- 166 Democratic Republic of Congo -1.22 trillion current LCU compare
- 167 Sri Lanka -1.27 trillion current LCU compare
- 168 Senegal -1.31 trillion current LCU compare
More economy & growth data for Kenya
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 3.28 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 5.26 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 417.66 million BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0035 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 7.4 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 463.44 million BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual -8.77 % change on previous year (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0038 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 8.21 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 23.12 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is external balance on goods and services in Kenya?
- External balance on goods and services in Kenya was -1.05 trillion current LCU in 2025, according to Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks.
- What is the highest external balance on goods and services recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 16.51 billion current LCU in 1993.
- What is the lowest external balance on goods and services recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.13 trillion current LCU in 2023.
- How does Kenya rank for external balance on goods and services?
- Kenya ranks 165th out of 193 countries with data for 2025.
- Is external balance on goods and services rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is down 52.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Kenya data come from?
- The figures come from Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks, published as part of External balance on goods and services (current LCU). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
The balance of international trade in goods and services is the difference between the exports and imports of goods and services. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This series is expressed in local currency units.