Migrant remittance inflows (% of GDP) in Kenya
Kenya: Migrant remittance inflows (% of GDP) was 2.8% in 2011. ◆ Volatile
Migrant remittance inflows in Kenya, 1975–2011
Source: World Bank staff estimates based on the International Monetary Fund's Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook 2008, and World Bank and OECD GDP estimates. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for migrant remittance inflows in Kenya is 2.8%, measured in 2011.
The figure is up 30.5% on the previous year and up 608.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, migrant remittance inflows in Kenya peaked at 4.5% in 1999 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1991.
Kenya ranks 17th of 50 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.
Migrant remittance inflows (% of GDP) in Kenya, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 0.2% | — |
| 1976 | 0.2% | +17.6% |
| 1977 | 0.1% | -60.9% |
| 1978 | 0.2% | +196.4% |
| 1979 | 0.3% | +18.5% |
| 1980 | 0.2% | -37.1% |
| 1981 | 0.1% | -39.3% |
| 1982 | 0.1% | +1.5% |
| 1983 | 0.1% | -12.9% |
| 1984 | 0.1% | -1.4% |
| 1985 | 0.1% | +9.6% |
| 1986 | 0.1% | +34.5% |
| 1987 | 0.1% | -4.9% |
| 1988 | 0.1% | +9.4% |
| 1989 | 0.1% | -6.1% |
| 1990 | 0.1% | -32.4% |
| 1991 | 0.0% | -48.6% |
| 1992 | 1.0% | +2059.7% |
| 1994 | 1.0% | -1.8% |
| 1995 | 1.0% | -3.1% |
| 1996 | 0.7% | -24.9% |
| 1997 | 3.9% | +431.5% |
| 1998 | 3.8% | -2.3% |
| 1999 | 4.5% | +20.2% |
| 2001 | 0.4% | -91.4% |
| 2002 | 0.4% | +10.9% |
| 2003 | 0.4% | +1.6% |
| 2004 | 2.3% | +428.5% |
| 2005 | 2.3% | -2.9% |
| 2006 | 2.5% | +11.8% |
| 2007 | 2.4% | -6.5% |
| 2008 | 2.2% | -7.5% |
| 2009 | 2.1% | -5.7% |
| 2010 | 2.1% | +3.1% |
| 2011 | 2.8% | +30.5% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 2.8% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 2.0%, 1.4× the median. (24 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 2.8% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.7%, 1.7× the median. (44 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Migrant remittance inflows (% of GDP) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | +2059.7% | 0.0% | 1.0% |
| 1997 | +431.5% | 0.7% | 3.9% |
| 2004 | +428.5% | 0.4% | 2.3% |
| 1978 | +196.4% | 0.1% | 0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.3% | 5 |
| 1980s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.8% | 0.0% | 4.5% | 9 |
| 2000s | 1.7% | 0.4% | 2.5% | 9 |
| 2010s | 2.5% | 2.1% | 2.8% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
More trade data for Kenya
- Commodity Net Export Price Index, Individual Commodities Weighted by 123.35 (2025)
- Commodity Net Export Price Index, Individual Commodities Weighted by 102.33 (2025)
- Commodity Export Price Index, Individual Commodites Weighted by Ratio 100.02 (2025)
- Commodity Export Price Index, Individual Commodites Weighted by Ratio 99.45 (2025)
- Commodity Import Price Index, Individual Commodites Weighted by Ratio 97.73 (2025)
- Commodity Import Price Index, Individual Commodites Weighted by Ratio 69.03 (2025)
- Imports of low carbon technology products, Percent of GDP 0.3618 (2023)
- Imports of low carbon technology products, US dollar (World), per 7.07 units per person (2023)
- Imports of low carbon technology products, US dollar (World), per 0.0036 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Exports of low carbon technology products, US dollar (World), gaps 64.46 million (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is migrant remittance inflows in Kenya?
- Migrant remittance inflows in Kenya was 2.8% in 2011, according to World Bank staff estimates based on the International Monetary Fund's Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook 2008, and World Bank and OECD GDP estimates.
- What is the highest migrant remittance inflows recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 4.5% in 1999.
- What is the lowest migrant remittance inflows recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1991.
- How does Kenya rank for migrant remittance inflows?
- Kenya ranks 17th out of 50 countries with data for 2011.
- Is migrant remittance inflows rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 608.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Kenya data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank staff estimates based on the International Monetary Fund's Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook 2008, and World Bank and OECD GDP estimates, published as part of Migrant remittance inflows (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Migrants’ remittances are defined as the sum of worker’s remittances,