New business density (new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64) in Kenya
Kenya: New business density (new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64) was 1.73 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
1.73 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64
Change on year
up 0.4%
World rank
104th
of 177 countries
All-time high
1.73 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64
in 2024
All-time low
1.36 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64
in 2017
Years of data
8
2017–2024
New business density in Kenya, 2017–2024
Source: Entrepreneurship Database, World Bank (WB). Measured in new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64.
Analysis
The most recent figure for new business density in Kenya is 1.73 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 8 years on record.
The figure is up 0.4% on the previous year and up 27.6% over ten years.
That places Kenya 104th out of 177 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
New business density (new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64) in Kenya, year by year
| Year | new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 1.36 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | — |
| 2018 | 1.55 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | +14.3% |
| 2019 | 1.43 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | -7.8% |
| 2020 | 1.62 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | +13.2% |
| 2021 | 1.55 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | -4.1% |
| 2022 | 1.63 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | +4.7% |
| 2023 | 1.73 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | +6.1% |
| 2024 | 1.73 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | +0.4% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 1.73 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1.07 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64, 1.6× the median. (42 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 1.73 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.04 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64, 1.7× the median. (43 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 1.45 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | 1.36 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | 1.55 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | 3 |
| 2020s | 1.65 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | 1.55 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | 1.73 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | 5 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
- 101 Oman 1.79 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64
- 102 Paraguay 1.76 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 compare
- 103 Thailand 1.75 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 compare
- 105 Ukraine 1.65 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64
- 106 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1.64 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 compare
- 107 Ecuador 1.59 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 compare
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 new business density in Kenya?
- New business density in Kenya was 1.73 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 in 2024, according to Entrepreneurship Database, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest new business density recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 1.73 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 in 2024.
- What is the lowest new business density recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.36 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 in 2017.
- How does Kenya rank for new business density?
- Kenya ranks 104th out of 177 countries with data for 2024.
- Is new business density rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 27.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Kenya data come from?
- The figures come from Entrepreneurship Database, World Bank (WB), published as part of New business density (new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 8 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
The number of newly registered firms with limited liability per 1,000 working-age people (ages 15-64) per calendar year.