Computer, communications and other services (%) … imports in Kenya
Kenya: Computer, communications and other services (%) … imports was 32.7% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Computer, communications and other services in Kenya, 1975–2025
Source: Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of commercial service imports.
Analysis
The most recent figure for computer, communications and other services in Kenya is 32.7%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 9.1% on the previous year and down 13.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, computer, communications and other services in Kenya peaked at 48.9% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 9.2%, in 1986.
Kenya ranks 111th of 198 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 51 years of available data.
Computer, communications and other services (%) … imports in Kenya, year by year
| Year | % of commercial service imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 14.4% | — |
| 1976 | 16.2% | +12.8% |
| 1977 | 16.8% | +3.5% |
| 1978 | 13.8% | -17.7% |
| 1979 | 11.6% | -16.1% |
| 1980 | 10.9% | -6.4% |
| 1981 | 11.4% | +5.1% |
| 1982 | 9.7% | -15.0% |
| 1983 | 14.7% | +51.5% |
| 1984 | 14.1% | -3.8% |
| 1985 | 12.1% | -14.6% |
| 1986 | 9.2% | -24.0% |
| 1987 | 12.7% | +38.0% |
| 1988 | 13.5% | +6.7% |
| 1989 | 11.9% | -12.1% |
| 1990 | 18.5% | +55.9% |
| 1991 | 20.8% | +12.2% |
| 1992 | 21.7% | +4.4% |
| 1993 | 21.8% | +0.7% |
| 1994 | 26.2% | +20.1% |
| 1995 | 23.9% | -8.7% |
| 1996 | 23.9% | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 31.2% | +30.9% |
| 1998 | 29.8% | -4.6% |
| 1999 | 20.9% | -30.0% |
| 2000 | 21.8% | +4.5% |
| 2001 | 26.2% | +20.1% |
| 2002 | 23.9% | -8.7% |
| 2003 | 23.9% | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 31.2% | +30.8% |
| 2005 | 35.3% | +13.1% |
| 2006 | 24.5% | -30.5% |
| 2007 | 25.5% | +3.9% |
| 2008 | 27.7% | +8.8% |
| 2009 | 27.5% | -0.7% |
| 2010 | 29.8% | +8.2% |
| 2011 | 24.7% | -16.9% |
| 2012 | 23.8% | -3.7% |
| 2013 | 19.0% | -20.3% |
| 2014 | 34.9% | +83.6% |
| 2015 | 37.8% | +8.4% |
| 2016 | 46.6% | +23.1% |
| 2017 | 43.0% | -7.7% |
| 2018 | 45.0% | +4.9% |
| 2019 | 44.6% | -0.9% |
| 2020 | 48.9% | +9.6% |
| 2021 | 43.0% | -12.2% |
| 2022 | 39.4% | -8.5% |
| 2023 | 38.2% | -3.0% |
| 2024 | 36.0% | -5.6% |
| 2025 | 32.7% | -9.1% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 32.7% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 27.1%, 1.2× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 32.7% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 32.0%, 1.0× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Computer, communications and other services (%) … imports 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | +83.6% | 19.0% | 34.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 14.6% | 11.6% | 16.8% | 5 |
| 1980s | 12.0% | 9.2% | 14.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 23.9% | 18.5% | 31.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 26.8% | 21.8% | 35.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 34.9% | 19.0% | 46.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 39.7% | 32.7% | 48.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
More private sector data for Kenya
- Merchandise trade 22.2% (2025)
- Food imports 16.6% (2025)
- Manufactures imports 58.3% (2025)
- Merchandise imports 21.61 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service imports 5.73 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 50.8% (2025)
- Manufactures exports 29.7% (2025)
- Merchandise exports 8.60 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service exports 7.93 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 149.5 current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is computer, communications and other services in Kenya?
- Computer, communications and other services in Kenya was 32.7% in 2025, according to Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest computer, communications and other services recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 48.9% in 2020.
- What is the lowest computer, communications and other services recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.2% in 1986.
- How does Kenya rank for computer, communications and other services?
- Kenya ranks 111th out of 198 countries with data for 2025.
- Is computer, communications and other services rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is down 13.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Kenya data come from?
- The figures come from Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Computer, communications and other services (% of commercial service imports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 51 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Computer, communications and other services include such activities as international telecommunications, and postal and courier services; computer data; news-related service transactions between residents and nonresidents; construction services; royalties and license fees; miscellaneous business, professional, and technical services; and personal, cultural, and recreational services. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of service imports which are commercial services provided by non-residents to residents.