In January 2026, Kenyans abroad remitted Ksh53 billion, according to the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK). This represents a 3.8 percent decrease from the Ksh55.1 billion sent in January 2025, despite an overall annual increase in remittances.

• Total annual diaspora remittances rose from Ksh640.9 billion to Ksh648.7 billion, a 1.2 percent increase.
• The CBK's tightened compliance and licensing requirements for money transfer operators, including enhanced anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terror checks, have contributed to changes in remittance flows and increased operational costs for smaller firms.
• Remittance inflows are a key source of foreign exchange earnings and support Kenya's balance of payments, with foreign exchange reserves at Ksh1.6 trillion as of February 12, 2026.