Merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current US$) in Kenya
Kenya: Merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current US$) was 18.59 billion current US$ in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
18.59 billion current US$
Change on year
down 11.8%
World rank
81st
of 206 countries
All-time high
21.07 billion current US$
in 2022
All-time low
193.10 million current US$
in 1964
Years of data
64
1960–2023
Merchandise imports by the reporting economy in Kenya, 1960–2023
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in current US$.
Analysis
The most recent figure for merchandise imports by the reporting economy in Kenya is 18.59 billion current US$, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of down 11.8% on the previous year and up 15.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports by the reporting economy in Kenya peaked at 21.07 billion current US$ in 2022 and was at its lowest, 193.10 million current US$, in 1964.
That places Kenya 81st out of 206 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current US$) in Kenya, year by year
| Year | current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 229.50 million current US$ | — |
| 1961 | 220.90 million current US$ | -3.7% |
| 1962 | 233.20 million current US$ | +5.6% |
| 1963 | 243.80 million current US$ | +4.5% |
| 1964 | 193.10 million current US$ | -20.8% |
| 1965 | 224.60 million current US$ | +16.3% |
| 1966 | 281.70 million current US$ | +25.4% |
| 1967 | 273.70 million current US$ | -2.8% |
| 1968 | 329.16 million current US$ | +20.3% |
| 1969 | 339.87 million current US$ | +3.3% |
| 1970 | 415.37 million current US$ | +22.2% |
| 1971 | 537.85 million current US$ | +29.5% |
| 1972 | 504.93 million current US$ | -6.1% |
| 1973 | 584.25 million current US$ | +15.7% |
| 1974 | 987.43 million current US$ | +69.0% |
| 1975 | 902.30 million current US$ | -8.6% |
| 1976 | 941.15 million current US$ | +4.3% |
| 1977 | 1.20 billion current US$ | +27.9% |
| 1978 | 1.55 billion current US$ | +28.8% |
| 1979 | 1.59 billion current US$ | +2.9% |
| 1980 | 2.50 billion current US$ | +56.4% |
| 1981 | 2.00 billion current US$ | -19.7% |
| 1982 | 1.56 billion current US$ | -22.3% |
| 1983 | 1.33 billion current US$ | -14.3% |
| 1984 | 1.45 billion current US$ | +8.4% |
| 1985 | 1.38 billion current US$ | -4.3% |
| 1986 | 1.56 billion current US$ | +12.3% |
| 1987 | 1.69 billion current US$ | +8.6% |
| 1988 | 1.93 billion current US$ | +14.5% |
| 1989 | 2.09 billion current US$ | +8.0% |
| 1990 | 1.76 billion current US$ | -15.8% |
| 1991 | 1.75 billion current US$ | -0.5% |
| 1992 | 1.73 billion current US$ | -1.2% |
| 1993 | 1.53 billion current US$ | -11.5% |
| 1994 | 2.08 billion current US$ | +36.2% |
| 1995 | 3.16 billion current US$ | +51.7% |
| 1996 | 2.65 billion current US$ | -16.0% |
| 1997 | 3.18 billion current US$ | +19.9% |
| 1998 | 3.28 billion current US$ | +3.2% |
| 1999 | 3.08 billion current US$ | -6.2% |
| 2000 | 3.24 billion current US$ | +5.2% |
| 2001 | 3.52 billion current US$ | +8.7% |
| 2002 | 3.11 billion current US$ | -11.6% |
| 2003 | 3.52 billion current US$ | +13.1% |
| 2004 | 911.11 million current US$ | -74.1% |
| 2005 | 5.83 billion current US$ | +539.8% |
| 2006 | 7.18 billion current US$ | +23.1% |
| 2007 | 8.91 billion current US$ | +24.2% |
| 2008 | 11.62 billion current US$ | +30.3% |
| 2009 | 9.87 billion current US$ | -15.1% |
| 2010 | 11.46 billion current US$ | +16.2% |
| 2011 | 14.50 billion current US$ | +26.5% |
| 2012 | 15.99 billion current US$ | +10.3% |
| 2013 | 16.09 billion current US$ | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 18.06 billion current US$ | +12.2% |
| 2015 | 16.05 billion current US$ | -11.1% |
| 2016 | 14.10 billion current US$ | -12.2% |
| 2017 | 16.68 billion current US$ | +18.3% |
| 2018 | 17.42 billion current US$ | +4.5% |
| 2019 | 17.20 billion current US$ | -1.3% |
| 2020 | 15.50 billion current US$ | -9.9% |
| 2021 | 19.56 billion current US$ | +26.2% |
| 2022 | 21.07 billion current US$ | +7.7% |
| 2023 | 18.59 billion current US$ | -11.8% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 18.59 billion current US$ is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 8.62 billion current US$, 2.2× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 18.59 billion current US$ is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 4.61 billion current US$, 4.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current US$) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | +539.8% | 911.11 million current US$ | 5.83 billion current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 256.95 million current US$ | 193.10 million current US$ | 339.87 million current US$ | 10 |
| 1970s | 922.17 million current US$ | 415.37 million current US$ | 1.59 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.75 billion current US$ | 1.33 billion current US$ | 2.50 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.42 billion current US$ | 1.53 billion current US$ | 3.28 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.77 billion current US$ | 911.11 million current US$ | 11.62 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 15.76 billion current US$ | 11.46 billion current US$ | 18.06 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 18.68 billion current US$ | 15.50 billion current US$ | 21.07 billion current US$ | 4 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
- 78 Estonia 22.81 billion current US$ compare
- 79 Costa Rica 22.46 billion current US$ compare
- 80 Marshall Islands 19.52 billion current US$ compare
- 82 Cote d'Ivoire 18.38 billion current US$ compare
- 83 Libya 18.20 billion current US$ compare
- 84 Lebanon 18.02 billion current US$ compare
More private sector data for Kenya
- Merchandise trade 22.2% (2025)
- Food imports 16.3% (2024)
- Manufactures imports 56.6% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 21.61 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 49.2% (2024)
- Manufactures exports 30.7% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 8.60 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 149.5 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.0633 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 4.42 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports by the reporting economy in Kenya?
- Merchandise imports by the reporting economy in Kenya was 18.59 billion current US$ in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise imports by the reporting economy recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 21.07 billion current US$ in 2022.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports by the reporting economy recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 193.10 million current US$ in 1964.
- How does Kenya rank for merchandise imports by the reporting economy?
- Kenya ranks 81st out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports by the reporting economy rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 15.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Kenya data come from?
- The figures come from Staff estimates, World Bank (WB), published as part of Merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Merchandise imports by the reporting economy are the total merchandise imports by the reporting economy from the rest of the world, as reported in the IMF's Direction of trade database. Data are in current U.S. dollars.