Remittances sent home by Kenyans living abroad declined by 1.9 per cent in October 2026, with inflows dropping to Ksh55.95 billion from Ksh57.03 billion recorded in October 2025, according to the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK).
In its weekly bulletin on November 13, CBK noted that this represented a decrease of approximately Ksh1.08 billion compared to the same month last year.
“Remittance inflows to Kenya totalled USD 430.5 million in October 2026 from USD 438.8 million in October 2025, a decrease of 1.9 percent. The 12-month cumulative inflows to October 2026 decreased by 1.1 per cent to USD 5,023 million, compared with USD 5,082 million in the same period in 2025,” read part of the statement.
CBK said cumulative remittances from Kenyans in the diaspora also fell by 1.1 per cent to USD 5.023 billion in the 12 months to October 2026, down from USD 5.082 billion in the same period in 2025.
The funds remain a key source of foreign exchange earnings for Kenya, supporting the country’s balance of payments.
CBK Reserves Declined This Week
Kenya’s foreign exchange reserves stood at USD 14.605 billion as of November 12, 2026, equivalent to 5.9 months of import cover.
The reserves remained above the Central Bank of Kenya’s (CBK) statutory requirement of at least four months of import cover.
“The foreign exchange reserves remained adequate at USD 14,605 million (5.9 months of import cover) as of
November 12. This meets CBK’s statutory requirement to endeavour to maintain at least 4 months of import cover,” read part of the statement.
At the same time, the money market remained liquid during the week ending November 12, with commercial banks’ excess reserves averaging Ksh31.5 billion above the 3.25 per cent Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR).
The Kenya Shilling Overnight Interbank Average (KESONIA) remained stable at 8.75 per cent.
Also Read: CBK Governor Explains Why Kenyan Shilling Has Stayed at KSh129 Against the Dollar for Over 2 Years
The average number of interbank transactions increased to 23 from 16 in the previous week, while the average value traded rose to Ksh13.4 billion from Ksh9.2 billion.
At the November 12 Treasury bill auction, bids totalled Ksh69.3 billion against an advertised Ksh28 billion, representing a performance rate of 247.3 per cent. Interest rates on the 91-day, 182-day and 364-day Treasury bills declined marginally.
Meanwhile, the November 9 auction of the 10-year Treasury switch bond attracted bids worth Ksh3.8 billion against an advertised Ksh10 billion, representing a performance rate of 37.9 per cent.
Also Read: CBK Ordered to Suspend New Lending Rules Affecting Kenyans
How Kenyan Shilling Held Steady
Here is a breakdown of how the Kenya Shilling held steady against major currencies in the week ending November 13.
It exchanged at Ksh129.96 per U.S. dollar on November 13.
Against other major currencies, the shilling traded at:
- Sterling Pound – Ksh172.72
- Euro – Ksh144.38
- South African Rand – 7.83
- Japanese Yen (100 units) – Ksh81.44
Against regional currencies, the shilling exchanged at:
- Ugandan Shilling – Ksh31.47, Tanzanian Shilling – Ksh20.39, Rwandan Franc – Ksh11.36
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