Kenya’s monthly export earnings grew by 5.4pc between December and January this year supported by higher re-export shipments.
Despite a domestic exports declining by 6.8pc from Ksh 80.9 billion to Ksh 75.4 billion, month-on-month re-exports grew by 91.5pc to stand at Ksh 21.9 billion from Ksh 11.4pc recorded in December last year.
Latest data by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) indicate that during that between December and January, total exports export earnings rose from Ksh 92.3 billion to Ksh 97.3 billion, while import expenditure
declined from Ksh 245.8 billion to Ksh 245.3 billion.
“In January 2026, the leading export destinations were Uganda, and Netherlands, with export values of Ksh 9.6 billion, and Ksh 6.4 billion, respectively. By product category, food and beverages accounted for the largest share of total exports at 44.7pc, followed by non-food industrial supplies at 23pc, while machinery and other capital equipment contributed 2pc,” said KNBS in its January economic indicator.
According to KNBS, total value of trade increased from Ksh 338.1 billion in December 2025 to Ksh 342.6 billion in January 2026.
Domestic exports to registered a general decline across key markets such as Uganda, Tanzania, the United Kingdom, United States, Pakistan and Egypt.
Biggest domestic exports decline was registered under food and beverages category which fell by Ksh 5.6 billion to Ksh 33. billion.
KNBS said total export value of ICT equipment rose by 95.7pc to KSh 338.7 million in January this year, with
telecommunications equipment exports increasing by 90.7pc to KSh 252.3 million.
However, China, India, and the United Arab Emirates were the main sources of imports in January 2026, with import values of Ksh 64.3 billion, Ksh 31 billion, and Ksh 23billion, respectively.
“By product category, non-food industrial supplies constituted the largest share of total imports at 40.8pc, followed by fuel and lubricants at 15.4pc, machinery and other capital equipment at 12.9pc, food and beverages at 12pc, and transport equipment at 10.1pc,” said KNBS.
Total import value of ICT equipment declined by 50.5pc to Ksh 4.2 billion in January 2026, with the
import value of telecommunications equipment falling by 38.7pc to Ksh 2.3 billion.
The bureau also noted total cargo throughput at the Port of Mombasa increased from 4.1 million MT in November 2025 to 4.5 million MT in December 2025.
During the same period, export volumes rose from 445.5 thousand MT to 453.6 thousand MT, while imports increased from 3.3 million MT to 3.7 million MT.
