Job creation in Kenya: What numbers say/Sydney Nyachiro Kenya recorded the creation of 822,100 total jobs in 2025, revealing a significant reliance on non-formal economic sectors for employment generation. The overwhelming majority of these opportunities emerged within the informal sector, which accounted for 716,800 jobs, or approximately 87 per cent of all new positions created. By contrast, the formal or modern sector generated 105,300 jobs, representing just 13 per cent of the overall total.
This distribution highlights an ongoing gap when measured against the incoming workforce dynamics. Broader estimates indicate that between 800,000 and 1 million young people enter Kenya's labour market annually, including around 50,000 university graduates and 105,300 graduates from local training institutions in 2024. Meanwhile, formal manufacturing recorded 388,564 jobs in 2025. Manufacturing remains a critical potential source of formal employment due to its ability to absorb workers across diverse skill levels and support secondary jobs across various supply chains.
Job creation in Kenya: What numbers say/Sydney Nyachiro
