Self-employed — all countries

Self-employed — Kenya

Self-employed in Kenya in 2025 — 64.8%. Ranked 40 in the world out of 182. Since 1991, the indicator has fallen by 2.7 pp.

2025 64.8% −0.1 pp vs 2024
World rank 40of 182
Period maximum 67.5%1991
Period minimum 62%2019

Trend over time

1991–2025 · % of employment

Self-employed — Kenya, 1991–20256264666819911995199920032007201120152019202320251991: 67.5%1992: 67.4%1993: 67.4%1994: 67.4%1995: 67.3%1996: 67.2%1997: 67.1%1998: 67%1999: 66.8%2000: 66.7%2001: 66.6%2002: 66.5%2003: 66.4%2004: 66.2%2005: 66%2006: 65.7%2007: 65.4%2008: 65.1%2009: 64.9%2010: 64.6%2011: 64.3%2012: 64%2013: 63.8%2014: 63.5%2015: 63.2%2016: 62.9%2017: 62.6%2018: 62.3%2019: 62%2020: 64.4%2021: 65.9%2022: 65.6%2023: 65.3%2024: 64.9%2025: 64.8%
Change over the period: −2.7 pp Annual average: -0.08 pp

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Kenya

Kenya 64.8%
World 46.4%
Eastern Africa computed 78.1%
Self-employed — Kenya, by year Kenya All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 64.8 −0.1 pp
2024 64.9 −0.3 pp
2023 65.3 −0.3 pp
2022 65.6 −0.3 pp
2021 65.9 +1.5 pp
2020 64.4 +2.3 pp
2019 62 −0.3 pp
2018 62.3 −0.3 pp
2017 62.6 −0.3 pp
2016 62.9 −0.3 pp
2015 63.2 −0.3 pp
2014 63.5 −0.3 pp
2013 63.8 −0.3 pp
2012 64 −0.3 pp
2011 64.3 −0.3 pp
2010 64.6 −0.3 pp
2009 64.9 −0.2 pp
2008 65.1 −0.2 pp
2007 65.4 −0.3 pp
2006 65.7 −0.2 pp
2005 66 −0.2 pp
2004 66.2 −0.2 pp
2003 66.4 −0.1 pp
2002 66.5 −0.1 pp
2001 66.6 −0.1 pp
2000 66.7 −0.1 pp
1999 66.8 −0.2 pp
1998 67 −0.1 pp
1997 67.1 −0.1 pp
1996 67.2 −0.1 pp
1995 67.3 −0 pp
1994 67.4 −0 pp
1993 67.4 −0 pp
1992 67.4 −0.1 pp
1991 67.5

About the indicator

The share of total employment that is self-employed: employers, own-account workers, members of producers cooperatives and contributing family workers. High values in low-income countries reflect not developed entrepreneurship but the absence of wage jobs and informal work in agriculture and small-scale trade.

Source: ILOSTAT (ILO), license CC BY 4.0.