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Labour · Sub-Saharan Africa · Lower-middle income

Kenya: the labour market

Labour force is 24.7m (2025), 29th of 187 in the world and 6th of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa. Participation rate is 67.4% (2025), 42nd of 187 in the world and 19th of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa. Women's participation is 63.0% (2025), 29th of 187 in the world and 17th of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Labour force24.7m2025 · world 29/187 · region 6/47Participation rate67.4%2025 · world 42/187 · region 19/47Women's participation63.0%2025 · world 29/187 · region 17/47Employment rate63.7%2025 · world 44/187 · region 18/47
Labour force
Kenya
010.0m20.0m30.0m1995200020052010201520202025Kenya24.7m
Participation rate
KenyaSub-Saharan AfricaLower-middle incomeWorld
55%60%65%70%75%1995200020052010201520202025Kenya67.4%Sub-Saharan AfricaLower-middle incomeWorld
13 indicators

Labour: Kenya in detail

Latest reported value, world rank and rank within Sub-Saharan Africa; values around 2000, 2010, 2020; group and world columns are World Bank aggregates.

IndicatorLatestWorld rankIn region~2000~2010~202010-year changeRegionIncome groupWorldSince 2000
Labour forceLabour force, total24.7m202529/1876/4712.0m17.3m21.3m+22%since 2015527m1.2bn3.7bn
Participation rateLabour force participation, % of 15+67.4%202542/18719/4772.5%73.7%67.1%−6.9 ppsince 201570.3%58.2%61.0%
Women's participationFemale labour force participation, % of women 15+63.0%202529/18717/4770.5%71.1%62.2%−8.3 ppsince 201565.2%39.2%48.9%
Employment rateEmployment to population ratio, 15+ (ILO)63.7%202544/18718/4770.4%71.6%63.3%−8.5 ppsince 201566.3%55.6%58.1%
UnemploymentUnemployment, % of labour force (ILO)5.4%202587/18724/472.9%2.8%5.6%+2.7 ppsince 20155.7%4.5%4.8%
Female unemploymentFemale unemployment, % of female labour force (ILO)6.7%202576/18721/473.1%3.0%6.6%+3.8 ppsince 20156.3%4.9%4.9%
Youth unemploymentYouth unemployment, ages 15–24 (ILO)15.2%202577/18717/476.8%7.0%13.6%+7.9 ppsince 201510.1%13.1%13.4%
Youth NEET rateYouth not in education, employment or training, %18.5%202183/17030/4432.4%1999·18.5%2021−4.2 ppsince 2005—21.8%—
Wage workersWage and salaried workers, % of total employment35.2%2025147/18719/4733.3%35.4%35.6%−1.6 ppsince 201522.3%29.6%53.6%
Vulnerable employmentVulnerable employment, % of total employment (ILO)63.8%202535/18727/4759.4%60.4%63.1%+3.4 ppsince 201571.0%65.5%42.4%
Jobs in agricultureEmployment in agriculture, % of total employment45.8%202528/18722/4760.4%55.6%51.2%−6.7 ppsince 201549.3%39.8%25.8%
Jobs in industryEmployment in industry, % of total employment12.5%2025158/18728/479.6%9.6%11.3%+2.0 ppsince 201512.2%22.4%23.7%
Jobs in servicesEmployment in services, % of total employment41.7%2025152/18723/4730.0%34.7%37.5%+4.7 ppsince 201538.5%37.8%50.6%
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)“·” — no value reported within two years of that date. World rank counts countries with a recent value.

Better than ten years ago

Worse than ten years ago

Only indicators where higher or lower is clearly better are rated (for example, unemployment down is better, life expectancy up is better).

neighbours

Kenya and its neighbours

Countries sharing a land border with Kenya. Latest values since 2005; the highest in each row is marked.

IndicatorKenyaEthiopiaTanzaniaUgandaSomaliaSouth Sudan
Labour force24.7m202556.8m202534.1m202523.4m20253.6m20255.1m2023
Participation rate67.4%202568.5%202583.7%202580.0%202533.8%202573.4%2023
Women's participation63.0%202558.5%202580.3%202575.6%202520.7%202570.4%2023
Employment rate63.7%202566.2%202582.4%202577.8%202527.4%202564.3%2023
Unemployment5.4%20253.3%20251.6%20252.7%202518.9%202512.4%2023
Female unemployment6.7%20254.5%20252.2%20253.3%202524.6%202513.6%2023
Youth unemployment15.2%20255.4%20252.4%20254.2%202534.2%202518.5%2023
Youth NEET rate18.5%202117.5%202115.2%202513.8%202151.0%202229.1%2008
Wage workers35.2%202515.7%202514.7%202519.5%202547.8%202517.5%2023
Ethiopia: labourTanzania: labourUganda: labourSomalia: labourSouth Sudan: labour
Labour in Sub-Saharan Africaall 48 economies rankedLabour: lower-middle-income countries47 economies rankedLabour: world leaderboardstop and bottom countriesKenya: all key statisticscountry profile