World Bank puts Kenya's growth at 4.6 per cent with public debt at 70.6 per cent of GDP

17 October 2026

The World Bank's country assessment expects Kenya's gross domestic product to grow by 4.6 per cent in 2026, with growth averaging between 4.4 and 4.8 per cent over the short to medium term.
Public debt stands at 70.6 per cent of gross domestic product, and roughly a third of government revenue goes to interest payments.
The World Bank assesses Kenya as being at high risk of debt distress.
The poverty rate reached 43.3 per cent in 2025 measured at the three dollars a day line in 2021 purchasing power parity terms, and is projected at 43 per cent in 2026.
Only about 16.2 per cent of jobs in Kenya are formal, with most workers in low-productivity informal activities.
Foreign exchange reserves cover more than six months of imports and inflation is within the central bank's target range.