Subsidies and other transfers (% of expense) in Kenya
Kenya: Subsidies and other transfers (% of expense) was 17.4% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Subsidies and other transfers in Kenya, 2014–2023
Source: Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of expense.
Analysis
The most recent figure for subsidies and other transfers in Kenya is 17.4%, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 10 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 28.6% on the previous year and down 41.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, subsidies and other transfers in Kenya peaked at 37.0% in 2017 and was at its lowest, 17.4%, in 2023.
That places Kenya 131st out of 152 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
Subsidies and other transfers (% of expense) in Kenya, year by year
| Year | % of expense | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 29.9% | — |
| 2015 | 30.6% | +2.5% |
| 2016 | 32.5% | +6.2% |
| 2017 | 37.0% | +13.8% |
| 2018 | 23.7% | -35.9% |
| 2019 | 29.7% | +25.2% |
| 2020 | 24.8% | -16.6% |
| 2021 | 20.2% | -18.5% |
| 2022 | 24.4% | +21.1% |
| 2023 | 17.4% | -28.6% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 17.4% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 33.6%, 52% of the median. (36 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 17.4% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 25.7%, 68% of the median. (34 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 30.6% | 23.7% | 37.0% | 6 |
| 2020s | 21.7% | 17.4% | 24.8% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
More public sector data for Kenya
- Democracy, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Chief executive of the government is elected, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Elected parliament, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote in practice, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Arms imports 117.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2025)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 0.3012 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0.0001 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate -75 % change on previous year (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is subsidies and other transfers in Kenya?
- Subsidies and other transfers in Kenya was 17.4% in 2023, according to Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest subsidies and other transfers recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 37.0% in 2017.
- What is the lowest subsidies and other transfers recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 17.4% in 2023.
- How does Kenya rank for subsidies and other transfers?
- Kenya ranks 131st out of 152 countries with data for 2023.
- Is subsidies and other transfers rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is down 41.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Kenya data come from?
- The figures come from Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Subsidies and other transfers (% of expense). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 10 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Subsidies are current unrequited payments that government units, including nonresident government units, make to enterprises on the basis of the levels of their production activities or the quantities or values of the goods or services that they produce, sell, export or import. This indicator is expressed as percentage of total expenses which is any decrease in net worth resulting from a transaction.