Kenya — Unemployment
Unemployment Rate for Kenya, 1991–2025.
Unemployment for Kenya was 5.45% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 35 years, from 1991 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 5.69% in 2021. The lowest was 2.64% in 2007 (about 2.1× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 2.00% per year.
Kenya ranks 87 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 47%. The median for Sub-Saharan Africa is 5.45%, so Kenya sits level with it. It peaked in 2021 and has fallen 4% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 97%. Within Sub-Saharan Africa it ranks 24 of 47 economies; Guinea (5.16%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 28% in 2017. That is 16% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
From its 1991 level: doubled by 2020. Doubling roughly every 35 years at that pace.
World ranking. Climbed: 140th of 187 in 1991 → 158th of 187 in 2000 → 165th of 187 in 2010 → 110th of 187 in 2020 → 82nd of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1991 to 2025
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5.45% | -0.0 pp |
| 2024 | 5.49% | +0.1 pp |
| 2023 | 5.41% | -0.2 pp |
| 2022 | 5.57% | -0.1 pp |
| 2021 | 5.69% | +0.1 pp |
| 2020 | 5.61% | +0.6 pp |
| 2019 | 5.01% | +0.7 pp |
| 2018 | 4.28% | +0.7 pp |
| 2017 | 3.54% | +0.8 pp |
| 2016 | 2.76% | -0.0 pp |
| 2015 | 2.76% | -0.0 pp |
| 2014 | 2.77% | +0.0 pp |
| 2013 | 2.76% | +0.1 pp |
| 2012 | 2.68% | -0.0 pp |
| 2011 | 2.7% | -0.1 pp |
| 2010 | 2.79% | -0.0 pp |
| 2009 | 2.82% | +0.1 pp |
| 2008 | 2.75% | +0.1 pp |
| 2007 | 2.64% | -0.0 pp |
| 2006 | 2.67% | -0.1 pp |
| 2005 | 2.74% | -0.1 pp |
| 2004 | 2.84% | -0.0 pp |
| 2003 | 2.87% | -0.0 pp |
| 2002 | 2.92% | +0.0 pp |
| 2001 | 2.88% | -0.0 pp |
| 2000 | 2.88% | +0.0 pp |
| 1999 | 2.88% | +0.0 pp |
| 1998 | 2.84% | +0.0 pp |
| 1997 | 2.82% | +0.0 pp |
| 1996 | 2.77% | -0.1 pp |
| 1995 | 2.85% | -0.1 pp |
| 1994 | 2.96% | -0.0 pp |
| 1993 | 2.98% | +0.1 pp |
| 1992 | 2.89% | +0.1 pp |
| 1991 | 2.78% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Kenya’s Unemployment in 1992?
2.89% (1992). 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 total labor force, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Kenya’s Unemployment growing or shrinking?
Between 1991 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +96.0% in total — about 2.0% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SL.UEM.TOTL.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: 5.45%; 2024: 5.49%; 2023: 5.41%; 2022: 5.57%; 2021: 5.69%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS — Unemployment 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.