Kenya — Labor participation
Labor Force Participation Rate for Kenya, 1990–2025.
Labor participation for Kenya was 67.39% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 36 years, from 1990 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 74.41% in 2016. The lowest was 67.08% in 2020 (about 1.0× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -0.23% per year.
Kenya ranks 42 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 22%. The median for Sub-Saharan Africa is 64.31%, so Kenya sits above it. It peaked in 2016 and has fallen 9% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 9%. Within Sub-Saharan Africa it ranks 19 of 47 economies; Cote d'Ivoire (67.09%) is just below it. That is 3% below this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
World ranking. Slipped: 28th of 187 in 1990 → 31st of 187 in 2000 → 24th of 187 in 2010 → 39th of 187 in 2020 → 41st of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1990 to 2025
| Year | % of population ages 15+ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 67.39% | -0.0 pp |
| 2024 | 67.42% | -0.0 pp |
| 2023 | 67.46% | -0.0 pp |
| 2022 | 67.5% | +0.0 pp |
| 2021 | 67.46% | +0.4 pp |
| 2020 | 67.08% | -0.7 pp |
| 2019 | 67.8% | -2.3 pp |
| 2018 | 70.1% | -2.2 pp |
| 2017 | 72.31% | -2.1 pp |
| 2016 | 74.41% | +0.1 pp |
| 2015 | 74.29% | +0.1 pp |
| 2014 | 74.17% | +0.1 pp |
| 2013 | 74.06% | +0.1 pp |
| 2012 | 73.94% | +0.1 pp |
| 2011 | 73.82% | +0.1 pp |
| 2010 | 73.71% | +0.1 pp |
| 2009 | 73.59% | +0.1 pp |
| 2008 | 73.47% | +0.1 pp |
| 2007 | 73.35% | +0.1 pp |
| 2006 | 73.23% | +0.1 pp |
| 2005 | 73.11% | +0.1 pp |
| 2004 | 72.99% | +0.1 pp |
| 2003 | 72.87% | +0.1 pp |
| 2002 | 72.75% | +0.1 pp |
| 2001 | 72.63% | +0.1 pp |
| 2000 | 72.51% | +0.1 pp |
| 1999 | 72.39% | -0.1 pp |
| 1998 | 72.47% | -0.1 pp |
| 1997 | 72.54% | -0.1 pp |
| 1996 | 72.6% | -0.1 pp |
| 1995 | 72.67% | -0.1 pp |
| 1994 | 72.74% | -0.1 pp |
| 1993 | 72.81% | -0.1 pp |
| 1992 | 72.88% | -0.1 pp |
| 1991 | 72.94% | -0.1 pp |
| 1990 | 73% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Kenya’s Labor participation in 1991?
72.94% (1991). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in % of population ages 15+, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Kenya’s Labor participation growing or shrinking?
Between 1990 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -7.7% in total — about 0.2% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SL.TLF.CACT.ZS. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 67.39%; 2024: 67.42%; 2023: 67.46%; 2022: 67.5%; 2021: 67.46%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SL.TLF.CACT.ZS — Labor Force Participation Rate. Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.