Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Kenya
Kenya: Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) was 67.4% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Kenya, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Kenya recorded 67.4% for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in 2025.
The figure is down 9.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Kenya peaked at 74.4% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 67.1%, in 2020.
Kenya ranks 42nd of 187 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Kenya, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 73.0% | — |
| 1991 | 72.9% | -0.1% |
| 1992 | 72.9% | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 72.8% | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 72.7% | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 72.7% | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 72.6% | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 72.5% | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 72.5% | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 72.4% | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 72.5% | +0.2% |
| 2001 | 72.6% | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 72.8% | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 72.9% | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 73.0% | +0.2% |
| 2005 | 73.1% | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 73.2% | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 73.4% | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 73.5% | +0.2% |
| 2009 | 73.6% | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 73.7% | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 73.8% | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 73.9% | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 74.1% | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 74.2% | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 74.3% | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 74.4% | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 72.3% | -2.8% |
| 2018 | 70.1% | -3.0% |
| 2019 | 67.8% | -3.3% |
| 2020 | 67.1% | -1.1% |
| 2021 | 67.5% | +0.6% |
| 2022 | 67.5% | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 67.5% | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 67.4% | -0.1% |
| 2025 | 67.4% | -0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 72.7% | 72.4% | 73.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 73.1% | 72.5% | 73.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 72.9% | 67.8% | 74.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 67.4% | 67.1% | 67.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
- 39 Congo 67.8% compare
- 40 Kazakhstan 67.8% compare
- 41 Zimbabwe 67.7% compare
- 43 Netherlands 67.2% compare
- 44 Côte d'Ivoire 67.1% compare
- 45 Mali 67.0% compare
More work & labour data for Kenya
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.0278 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.0507 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.0073 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate 0.2281 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 2.98 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 44,185 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 51,282 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 53,727 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 50,468 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 104,196 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Kenya?
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Kenya was 67.4% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 74.4% in 2016.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 67.1% in 2020.
- How does Kenya rank for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+)?
- Kenya ranks 42nd out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Kenya data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Labor force participation rate is the proportion of the population ages 15 and older that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.