Job creation within Kenya’s Export Processing Zones (EPZs) experienced a sharp downturn, losing more than 5,000 new job opportunities during the 2025/2026 period.
Official records from the State Department for Investment reveal that newly created positions dropped from 12,069 in 2024/2025 to 6,732 in 2025/2026.
This decline follows significant volatility in the sector's employment performance over recent years.
During the 2020/2021 period, the EPZs generated 7,477 new positions before reaching a peak of 12,891 jobs in 2021/2022. However, the trend reversed sharply in 2022/2023, when new job creation fell to a six-year low of 2,127.
Employment figures temporarily recovered in subsequent periods.
The sector recorded 4,142 new jobs in 2023/2024 before climbing back above the 12,000 mark in 2024/2025. The latest drop to 6,732 highlights ongoing fluctuations in the capacity of EPZs to sustain rapid job expansion.
