Kenya’s trade landscape witnessed significant shifts in January 2025, with Uganda, Pakistan, and the Netherlands emerging as the top export destinations. The country exported goods worth KSh 9.8 billion to Uganda, KSh 6.7 billion to Pakistan, and KSh 5.9 billion to the Netherlands. Food and beverages dominated exports, accounting for 42.0% of total shipments, followed by non-food industrial supplies at 28.3%.
On the import side, China, the United Arab Emirates, and India remained Kenya’s leading trade partners. Imports from China stood at KSh 53.7 billion, while the UAE and India recorded KSh 35.0 billion and KSh 25.4 billion, respectively. The majority of imports were non-food industrial supplies (38.6%), fuel and lubricants (23.4%), and machinery and other capital equipment (15.3%). Food and beverages accounted for just 8.1% of total imports.
Kenya’s total trade volume grew from KSh 298.7 billion in December 2024 to KSh 316.8 billion in January 2025. During this period, exports rose from KSh 80.7 billion to KSh 87.2 billion, while imports increased from KSh 218.0 billion to KSh 229.6 billion. These figures highlight a steady rise in trade activity despite external economic pressures.
A notable trend was the decline in exports of telecommunications equipment, which fell from KSh 434.6 million in December 2024 to KSh 67.1 million in January 2025. Conversely, the import value of telecommunications equipment more than doubled, rising from KSh 1.7 billion to KSh 3.2 billion. In contrast, exports of automatic data processing machines and storage units grew from KSh 28.3 million to KSh 47.3 million over the same period.
The mobile money sector also experienced fluctuations. While the number of active mobile money agents grew from 381,116 in December 2024 to 382,873 in January 2025, and mobile money subscriptions increased from 82.4 million to 83.4 million, transaction activity saw a decline. The total number of mobile money transactions dropped from 309.3 million to 294.6 million, while the total transaction value fell from KSh 753.5 billion to KSh 697.5 billion.
These trade and financial trends underscore Kenya’s evolving economic landscape. With export growth in key sectors and a rising trade volume, the country remains a vital player in regional and global markets. However, challenges such as fluctuating mobile money transactions and shifting import-export dynamics highlight the need for strategic trade and financial policies to sustain growth.
#KenyaTrade #Exports #Imports #EconomicGrowth #MobileMoney #FinancialTrends
