Current Account Balance: Kenya

Analysis# Kenya Current Account Balance Kenya's current account balance stands at -3.4% of GDP in 2026, reflecting a persistent deficit in its external trade position. Since 1980, the metric has shifted 47.7 percentage points from its starting point, marking a substantial deterioration. The country reached an all-time surplus of 8.6% in 1993 but plunged to -9.3% in 2014, demonstrating significant volatility in Kenya's external accounts over four decades. The period from 2014 to 2023 shows gradual recovery, with the deficit narrowing from -9.3% to -3.6%. A notable improvement occurred between 2022 and 2024, when the deficit contracted from -5.1% to -2.3%, suggesting strengthened export performance or reduced import pressures. Recent projections indicate a slight widening to -3.4% by 2026, though the deficit remains well above its historical lows and substantially improved from its worst period.