Kenya’s formal wage employment has continued to expand, reaching a record 3.315 million jobs in 2025, according to data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS).
The number of people in wage employment increased steadily from 2.283 million in 2013 to 2.598 million in 2015 and surpassed 3 million in 2022.
The growth has continued in recent years, rising from 3.138 million in 2023 to 3.214 million in 2024 before reaching 3.315 million in 2025.
The data, however, shows a disruption in the trend in 2020, when formal wage employment fell to about 2.743 million, coinciding with the economic disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Employment recovered sharply in 2021, rising to nearly 2.961 million, and has since maintained an upward trajectory.
The figures highlight the gradual recovery and expansion of Kenya’s formal labour market, although job creation has fluctuated considerably over the period.
