Primary income payments (BoP, current US$) in Kenya
Kenya: Primary income payments (BoP, current US$) was 2.54 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Primary income payments in Kenya, 1975–2025
Source: Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in BoP, current US$.
Analysis
In 2025, primary income payments in Kenya stood at 2.54 billion BoP, current US$. That is the highest value across all 51 years on record.
The figure is up 4.2% on the previous year and up 184.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, primary income payments in Kenya peaked at 2.54 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025 and was at its lowest, 148.21 million BoP, current US$, in 2003.
Kenya ranks 97th of 200 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Primary income payments (BoP, current US$) in Kenya, year by year
| Year | BoP, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 149.25 million BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1976 | 177.36 million BoP, current US$ | +18.8% |
| 1977 | 199.12 million BoP, current US$ | +12.3% |
| 1978 | 234.95 million BoP, current US$ | +18.0% |
| 1979 | 248.28 million BoP, current US$ | +5.7% |
| 1980 | 248.24 million BoP, current US$ | -0.0% |
| 1981 | 238.08 million BoP, current US$ | -4.1% |
| 1982 | 201.42 million BoP, current US$ | -15.4% |
| 1983 | 213.20 million BoP, current US$ | +5.8% |
| 1984 | 240.81 million BoP, current US$ | +13.0% |
| 1985 | 281.83 million BoP, current US$ | +17.0% |
| 1986 | 277.77 million BoP, current US$ | -1.4% |
| 1987 | 319.91 million BoP, current US$ | +15.2% |
| 1988 | 365.47 million BoP, current US$ | +14.2% |
| 1989 | 330.12 million BoP, current US$ | -9.7% |
| 1990 | 423.18 million BoP, current US$ | +28.2% |
| 1991 | 434.69 million BoP, current US$ | +2.7% |
| 1992 | 359.60 million BoP, current US$ | -17.3% |
| 1993 | 233.89 million BoP, current US$ | -35.0% |
| 1994 | 235.07 million BoP, current US$ | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 273.40 million BoP, current US$ | +16.3% |
| 1996 | 197.04 million BoP, current US$ | -27.9% |
| 1997 | 231.24 million BoP, current US$ | +17.4% |
| 1998 | 227.44 million BoP, current US$ | -1.6% |
| 1999 | 173.78 million BoP, current US$ | -23.6% |
| 2000 | 178.09 million BoP, current US$ | +2.5% |
| 2001 | 167.71 million BoP, current US$ | -5.8% |
| 2002 | 178.55 million BoP, current US$ | +6.5% |
| 2003 | 148.21 million BoP, current US$ | -17.0% |
| 2004 | 171.53 million BoP, current US$ | +15.7% |
| 2005 | 181.72 million BoP, current US$ | +5.9% |
| 2006 | 169.50 million BoP, current US$ | -6.7% |
| 2007 | 304.80 million BoP, current US$ | +79.8% |
| 2008 | 221.42 million BoP, current US$ | -27.4% |
| 2009 | 212.35 million BoP, current US$ | -4.1% |
| 2010 | 291.86 million BoP, current US$ | +37.4% |
| 2011 | 404.24 million BoP, current US$ | +38.5% |
| 2012 | 662.17 million BoP, current US$ | +63.8% |
| 2013 | 933.36 million BoP, current US$ | +41.0% |
| 2014 | 1.36 billion BoP, current US$ | +46.2% |
| 2015 | 892.69 million BoP, current US$ | -34.6% |
| 2016 | 1.11 billion BoP, current US$ | +24.7% |
| 2017 | 1.70 billion BoP, current US$ | +53.2% |
| 2018 | 1.60 billion BoP, current US$ | -5.9% |
| 2019 | 1.82 billion BoP, current US$ | +13.6% |
| 2020 | 823.99 million BoP, current US$ | -54.8% |
| 2021 | 1.72 billion BoP, current US$ | +109.0% |
| 2022 | 1.90 billion BoP, current US$ | +10.4% |
| 2023 | 2.13 billion BoP, current US$ | +12.1% |
| 2024 | 2.43 billion BoP, current US$ | +14.2% |
| 2025 | 2.54 billion BoP, current US$ | +4.2% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 2.54 billion BoP, current US$ is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1.37 billion BoP, current US$, 1.9× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 2.54 billion BoP, current US$ is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 533.30 million BoP, current US$, 4.8× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Primary income payments (BoP, current US$) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | +109.0% | 823.99 million BoP, current US$ | 1.72 billion BoP, current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 201.79 million BoP, current US$ | 149.25 million BoP, current US$ | 248.28 million BoP, current US$ | 5 |
| 1980s | 271.68 million BoP, current US$ | 201.42 million BoP, current US$ | 365.47 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 278.93 million BoP, current US$ | 173.78 million BoP, current US$ | 434.69 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 193.39 million BoP, current US$ | 148.21 million BoP, current US$ | 304.80 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.08 billion BoP, current US$ | 291.86 million BoP, current US$ | 1.82 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.92 billion BoP, current US$ | 823.99 million BoP, current US$ | 2.54 billion BoP, current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
- 94 El Salvador 3.01 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 95 Sri Lanka 2.62 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 96 Mozambique 2.55 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 98 Paraguay 2.51 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 99 Guinea 2.41 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 100 Tunisia 2.24 billion BoP, current US$ compare
More economy & growth data for Kenya
- Real gdp growth, annual growth rate -17.4 % change on previous year (2024)
- 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)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate -59.19 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 2.42 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate -61.14 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0007 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 1.77 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate 3.56 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is primary income payments in Kenya?
- Primary income payments in Kenya was 2.54 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025, according to Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest primary income payments recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 2.54 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025.
- What is the lowest primary income payments recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 148.21 million BoP, current US$ in 2003.
- How does Kenya rank for primary income payments?
- Kenya ranks 97th out of 200 countries with data for 2025.
- Is primary income payments rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 184.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Kenya data come from?
- The figures come from Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Primary income payments (BoP, current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Primary income payments refer to employee compensation paid to nonresident workers and investment income (payments on direct investment, portfolio investment, other investments).This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This indicator is expressed in United States dollars.