Most Kenyans’ Abroad Remittances of Ksh 930 billion Sent Home Spent on Food
Kenyans living abroad paid home remittances of Ksh931.8 billion between June 2024 and May 2025.
According to a new report by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), a large portion of the money was spent on food and household support rather than investment.
The findings were released on Tuesday, June 16, at the unveiling of the 2025 Remittances Household Survey Report, Kenya’s first statewide household survey on remittances.
According to the survey, food and household products were the most popular use of remittance inflows, with 73.1% of recipient households reporting that they spent the money on these items.
The survey notes the growing role of diaspora earnings in supporting daily household needs amid rising living costs, with a large share of remittances being directed towards consumption rather than wealth creation.
Data from Remittances Household Survey 2025 has shown that over six million women received remittances between June 2024 and May 2025, outnumbering men by over 1.3 million.#starkenyanews pic.twitter.com/qlTpte1qXB— TheStarKenya (@TheStarKenya) June 16, 2026
Education-related expenses ranked as the second-largest use of remittances, accounting for 31.4 per cent of responses, followed by medical expenses at 23.9 per cent.
Purchase of clothing accounted for 19.8 per cent, while rent and household utilities stood at 9.3 per cent.
The report further showed that only 8 per cent of remittance recipients used the funds for farming activities, while 3.1 per cent used the money to repay debts.
Kenya received a total of $7.20 billion in remittances between June 2024 and May 2025. According to Kenya’s central bank, the US was the largest source, contributing 43.5% of inflows, followed by Germany and Australia. A significant share of the money went towards food and… pic.twitter.com/0HD8LZbQUN— CGTN Africa (@cgtnafrica) June 16, 2026
Construction projects for recipients accounted for 2.6 per cent of remittance use, while investment in real estate recorded the lowest share at 2.2 per cent.
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Overall, Kenya received Ksh931.8 billion in remittance inflows during the reference period, comprising Ksh848.3 billion in cash remittances and Ksh83.5 billion in in-kind support such as goods and other non-cash transfers.
Cash remittances dominated the inflows, accounting for 91 per cent of the total value received by households, compared to 9 per cent for in-kind remittances.
The survey also found that women were the primary recipients of remittances, accounting for 60.3 per cent of beneficiaries, while men accounted for 37.9 per cent.
At the same time, Kenya recorded remittance outflows worth Ksh41.1 billion during the period.
The survey further identified the high cost of sending money abroad as the biggest challenge faced by remittance users, with 67.3 per cent of respondents citing transaction charges as a major obstacle.
Other challenges highlighted included long transfer times, distance to service points, inaccessible services, lack of privacy, unfavourable exchange rates, insecurity, and stringent Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements.
Most Kenyans’ Abroad Remittances of Ksh 930 billion Sent Home Spent on Food
