A new report by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) has revealed where Kenya that China is Kenya’s top source of imports, with goods worth Ksh 55.1 billion shipped in June 2025 alone.
The report shows that imports from China rose from KSh 49.8 billion in May to KSh 55.1 billion in June, positioning China as Kenya’s leading trading partner. The United Arab Emirates (Ksh 26.7 billion) and India (KSh 21.6 billion) followed as the second and third largest import sources.
Kenya’s overall import bill edged up slightly from Ksh 227.8 billion in May to Ksh 228.0 billion in June. Non-food industrial supplies accounted for the largest share at 36.2%, followed by fuel and lubricants (20.1%), machinery and capital equipment (14.0%), and food and beverages (11.7%).
KNBS Reveals China is Where Kenya Imports Most Goods
Despite the growth in imports, the country’s total trade value fell from KSh 322.8 billion in May to KSh 313.2 billion in June, as export earnings dropped from Ksh 95.0 billion to Ksh 85.2 billion.
Uganda remained the leading export destination, buying KSh 11.0 billion worth of goods, followed by the United States (KSh 5.8 billion) and the Netherlands (Ksh 5.3 billion). Food and beverages dominated exports at 45%, while non-food industrial supplies contributed 25% and machinery only 1.7%.
Also Read: Number of SGR Passengers Drops Again in 2025 After 50% Fare Hike – KNBS Report
Elsewhere, the Kenyan Shilling weakened against most major currencies except the US Dollar.
Meanwhile, foreign exchange reserves rose from Ksh 2.19 trillion to Ksh 2.29 trillion, though net foreign exchange liabilities also grew from Ksh 1.00 trillion to Ksh 1.07 trillion.
Number of Locally Assembled Vehicles Revealed
The report also highlighted that the number of locally assembled vehicles increased by 16% to 6,700 in the first six months of 2025. New car sales were up 25% to 6,300, supported by a stable shilling and lower lending rates.
In the employment sector, as of December 2023, only 3 million employees were on payroll, with 1.4 million earning between Sh50,000 and Sh99,000 and 387,448 earning above Sh100,000, according to the KNBS.
The Leading Economic Indicators Report is a monthly publication released by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) that provides an overview of the country’s economic performance.
Also Read: KNBS Reports Growth Across All Kenyan Economic Sectors
It serves as a quick reference point for policymakers, investors, researchers, and the public, offering timely data that reflects the state of the economy.
In the report, KNBS tracks a wide range of key sectors. These include external trade, where the agency highlights Kenya’s major import and export values, leading trading partners, and overall balance of trade.
It also covers agriculture, with details on the production of key crops and the performance of horticultural exports. Energy indicators, including electricity generation, petroleum imports, and fuel consumption, are also featured, providing insights into the country’s power supply and usage.
Follow our WhatsApp Channel and X Account for real-time news updates
