Kenyan businesses are struggling with high taxes and weak consumer demand, leading them to prioritize cost-cutting and automation for survival, according to a recent Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) survey.

• A significant 23 percent of firms identified "managing costs/risks" as their primary survival tactic.
• The July 2025 CBK CEOs Survey polled over 1,000 executives.
• The Stanbic Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) dipped below the critical 50-point mark to 49.6 in May, signaling contraction.
• 21 percent of respondents cited high cost of doing business, 17 percent reduced consumer demand, and 15 percent increased taxation as key constraints.