Tax revenue (% of GDP) in Kenya
Kenya: Tax revenue (% of GDP) was 14.1% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Tax revenue in Kenya, 2014–2023
Source: Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for tax revenue in Kenya is 14.1%, measured in 2023.
The figure is down 3.7% on the previous year and down 7.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, tax revenue in Kenya peaked at 15.2% in 2014 and was at its lowest, 13.6%, in 2021.
Kenya ranks 97th of 157 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Tax revenue (% of GDP) in Kenya, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 15.2% | — |
| 2015 | 14.8% | -2.3% |
| 2016 | 15.0% | +0.9% |
| 2017 | 15.1% | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 14.4% | -4.6% |
| 2019 | 15.1% | +5.1% |
| 2020 | 14.3% | -5.3% |
| 2021 | 13.6% | -5.2% |
| 2022 | 14.6% | +7.7% |
| 2023 | 14.1% | -3.7% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 14.1% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 13.9%, 1.0× the median. (36 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 14.1% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 12.6%, 1.1× the median. (36 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 14.9% | 14.4% | 15.2% | 6 |
| 2020s | 14.1% | 13.6% | 14.6% | 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 tax revenue in Kenya?
- Tax revenue in Kenya was 14.1% in 2023, according to Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest tax revenue recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 15.2% in 2014.
- What is the lowest tax revenue recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.6% in 2021.
- How does Kenya rank for tax revenue?
- Kenya ranks 97th out of 157 countries with data for 2023.
- Is tax revenue rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.4%. 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 Tax revenue (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Taxes are compulsory, unrequited payments, in cash or in kind, made by institutional units to government units. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which is the total income earned through the production of goods and services in an economic territory during an accounting period.