NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 7 – Increased exports to African countries in the third quarter (Q3) of 2025 helped boost Kenya’s export earnings, new data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) shows.
According to the KNBS Q3 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and Balance of Payments (BOP) report, Kenya exported goods worth Sh289.4 billion in the quarter, up from Sh282.4 billion recorded during a similar period in 2024.
The 2.5 percent growth in exports was largely driven by African markets, which accounted for 44.6 percent of total export earnings after posting a 15.3 percent increase during the review period.
“This performance was primarily driven by increased exports to the Democratic Republic of Congo (57.5 percent), Uganda (34.5 percent), Egypt (31.1 percent) and Rwanda (10.9 percent),” KNBS data showed.
Specifically, the gains were supported by higher re-exports of kerosene-type jet fuel to the Democratic Republic of Congo; domestic exports of potatoes and re-exports of gas oil and premium motor spirit (gasoline) to Uganda; domestic exports of tea to Egypt; and re-exports of premium motor spirit to Rwanda.
On the other hand, export earnings from Sudan, South Sudan and Somalia declined sharply by 92.1 percent, 26.1 percent and 21.7 percent, respectively, during the period.
The growth in exports to Africa comes as Kenya continues to push for the adoption of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to boost intra-African trade. In 2018, Kenya’s National Assembly approved a bill ratifying AfCFTA, signaling strong support.
However, the rollout of AfCFTA has been slow across the continent, largely due to non-tariff barriers, poor infrastructures and other structural challenges.
Meanwhile, exports to Europe rose by 5.2 percent to Sh60.8 billion in Q3 2025, driven mainly by increased shipments to the Netherlands (14.2 percent) and Kazakhstan (61.4 percent), buoyed by higher domestic exports of cut flowers and macadamia nuts.
Nonetheless, export earnings from the Americas declined from Sh26.2 billion in Q3 2024 to Sh24.4 billion in Q3 2025, largely due to reduced domestic exports of coffee to the United States.
Exports to Asia also contracted by 14.2 percent to Sh68.0 billion, mainly reflecting lower earnings from the United Arab Emirates (43.5 percent), India (52.8 percent), Pakistan (13.1 percent) and Yemen Arab Republic (86.0 percent).
