Kenya's first national survey finds the US supplying 43.5% of diaspora remittances

Kenya’s first nationwide household survey on remittances, launched by the statistics bureau and Central Bank in June 2026, found total inflows of about Ksh848.3 billion in cash plus Ksh83.5 billion in-kind, with the United States the largest single source at 43.5%. Households direct most of it to consumption, education and medical costs rather than investment. Officials note the inflows have helped steady the shilling alongside exports and tourism. For the Kenyan diaspora, the data is a prompt to weigh how much support goes to daily needs versus longer-term assets like housing or business.

Source: Kenyans.co.ke, citing the KNBS 2025 Remittances Household Survey; People Daily.