Kenya added approximately 716,800 new jobs in 2025, with the overwhelming majority originating from the informal sector, reinforcing the nation's continued reliance on small-scale employment despite a slight dip in GDP growth.

• 716,800 new jobs created in 2025, with 4.1 percent growth in the informal sector to 18.1 million workers.
• The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) released the 2026 Economic Survey detailing employment figures.
• While formal sector wage employment grew by 2.8 percent, the dominance of informal jobs underscores persistent structural weaknesses in the labor market.

The construction of a modern market in Iten, Kenya has significantly boosted youth employment, transforming the local economy and providing opportunities for hundreds of young people.

• The project has provided employment for hundreds of local youth, including unskilled labourers like Victor Kibet, who has learned to operate heavy machinery.
• Site management prioritises local hiring, with the majority of workers recruited from Iten and surrounding areas.
• The intensive, round-the-clock work schedule ensures steady income for workers and accelerates the delivery of the new market facility.

Motorcycle sales in Kenya more than doubled in 2025, reaching a four-year high and indicating a strong recovery in demand. The surge is attributed to a more stable Kenyan shilling and reduced interest rates on loans.

• Motorcycle sales reached 241,763 units in 2025, a significant increase from 118,308 units in the previous year.
• Key drivers identified by sellers include the shilling's stability against the US dollar and a decline in loan interest rates.
• The public transport and courier sectors, alongside individual boda boda operators, are major contributors to this increased demand, benefiting from easier access to credit and lower fuel prices.