Real gdp growth in Kenya
Kenya: Real gdp growth was 4.72 in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Real gdp growth in Kenya, 1980–2024
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
Kenya recorded 4.72 for real gdp growth in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 17.4% on the previous year and down 5.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, real gdp growth in Kenya peaked at 8.06 in 2010 and was at its lowest, -1.08, in 1992.
That places Kenya 49th out of 196 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Real gdp growth in Kenya, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 5.57 | — |
| 1981 | 4.1 | -26.4% |
| 1982 | 5.05 | +23.2% |
| 1983 | 1.59 | -68.5% |
| 1984 | 1.6 | +0.4% |
| 1985 | 4.07 | +154.6% |
| 1986 | 6.98 | +71.4% |
| 1987 | 5.81 | -16.8% |
| 1988 | 6.09 | +4.8% |
| 1989 | 4.55 | -25.2% |
| 1990 | 4.13 | -9.2% |
| 1991 | 1.34 | -67.6% |
| 1992 | -1.08 | -180.7% |
| 1993 | -0.095 | -91.2% |
| 1994 | 2.53 | -2764.2% |
| 1995 | 4.29 | +69.4% |
| 1996 | 4.48 | +4.5% |
| 1997 | 0.411 | -90.8% |
| 1998 | 2.98 | +625.8% |
| 1999 | 2.2 | -26.3% |
| 2000 | 0.347 | -84.2% |
| 2001 | 3.98 | +1046.7% |
| 2002 | 0.481 | -87.9% |
| 2003 | 2.95 | +513.1% |
| 2004 | 4.63 | +57.2% |
| 2005 | 5.67 | +22.2% |
| 2006 | 5.85 | +3.3% |
| 2007 | 6.85 | +17.0% |
| 2008 | 0.232 | -96.6% |
| 2009 | 3.31 | +1325.4% |
| 2010 | 8.06 | +143.7% |
| 2011 | 5.12 | -36.4% |
| 2012 | 4.57 | -10.8% |
| 2013 | 3.8 | -16.9% |
| 2014 | 5.02 | +32.2% |
| 2015 | 4.97 | -1.0% |
| 2016 | 4.21 | -15.2% |
| 2017 | 3.82 | -9.4% |
| 2018 | 5.67 | +48.6% |
| 2019 | 5.11 | -9.8% |
| 2020 | -0.273 | -105.3% |
| 2021 | 7.59 | -2880.2% |
| 2022 | 4.86 | -36.0% |
| 2023 | 5.72 | +17.7% |
| 2024 | 4.72 | -17.4% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 4.72 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 4.07, 1.2× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 4.72 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 4.52, 1.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Real gdp growth 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 | +2880.2% | -0.273 | 7.59 |
| 1994 | +2764.2% | -0.095 | 2.53 |
| 2009 | +1325.4% | 0.232 | 3.31 |
| 2001 | +1046.7% | 0.347 | 3.98 |
| 1998 | +625.8% | 0.411 | 2.98 |
| 2003 | +513.1% | 0.481 | 2.95 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 4.54 | 1.59 | 6.98 | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.12 | -1.08 | 4.48 | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.43 | 0.232 | 6.85 | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.03 | 3.8 | 8.06 | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.52 | -0.273 | 7.59 | 5 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
- 46 Nicaragua 4.92 compare
- 47 Burkina Faso 4.8 compare
- 48 Lao People's Democratic Republic 4.77 compare
- 50 St. Lucia 4.69 compare
- 51 Macao Special Administrative Region, People's Republic of China 4.67 compare
- 52 Paraguay 4.67 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 real gdp growth in Kenya?
- Real gdp growth in Kenya was 4.72 in 2024, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest real gdp growth recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 8.06 in 2010.
- What is the lowest real gdp growth recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.08 in 1992.
- How does Kenya rank for real gdp growth?
- Kenya ranks 49th out of 196 countries with data for 2024.
- Is real gdp growth rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Kenya data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Real gdp growth. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 45 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).