Kenya: Gross National Income per Capita

Gross National Income (GNI) is the GDP plus the net income from all sources earned by a country's residents and businesses, regardless of where the business or the resident is located.^[1]

The GNI includes incomes that residents and businesses from a country earn abroad, compensation to its employees, and property income, including rents, interests, and dividends earned on investments made abroad.

GNI excludes incomes earned by non-residents and foreign businesses from the domestic economy. These include wages and salaries paid to foreigners and property income earned by foreign businesses and investments.

GNI = GDP + Net Income from Abroad (Receivable – Payable)

Quick Facts

Kenya’s Gross National Income at market prices in 2023 was Ksh 14.8 trillion.^[2]
Kenya's GNI at constant 2015 prices (US$) was 93.2 billion.^[3]
Kenya's GNI at current prices (US$) was 111.7 billion.
Kenya’s GNI per capita at current prices in 2022 was Ksh 243,638.
Kenya’s GNI per capita at constant prices in 2022 was Ksh 179,580.
Kenya's GNI per capita at constant 2015 prices (US$) was $1,727.
Kenya’s annual GNI growth in 2022 was 5%
Kenya’s annual GNI per capita growth in 2022 was 3%.

Kenya’s Gross National Income

Kenya’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at current prices in 2023 was Ksh 15.1 trillion. Total incomes received from the rest of the world in that year was Ksh 28.8 billion, while the income payable to the rest of the world was Ksh 292.7 billion.

Therefore, Kenya’s Gross National Income was Ksh 14.8 trillion in 2023.

Chart showing Kenya's Gross National Income in Kenya Shillings. Kenya’s Gross National Income was Ksh 14.8 trillion in 2023.

Kenya’s Gross National Income in constant prices was Ksh 9.7 trillion in 2022.

Kenya’s Gross National Income in US Dollars

In 2022, Kenya's GNI at constant 2015 prices (US$) was $93.3 billion, while its GNI at current prices (US$) was $111.7 billion.

Chart showing Kenya's Gross National income in US dollars from 1960 to 2022. In 2022, Kenya's GNI at constant 2015 prices (US$) was $93.3 billion, while its GNI at current prices (US$) was $111.7 billion.

Kenya’s Gross National Income per Capita

The GNI per capita is derived by dividing the Gross National Income by the country’s total population.

In 2023, Kenya had a GNI per Capita at current prices of Ksh 262,204. The GNI per capita in constant prices was Ksh 179,580 in 2022.

Chart showing the GNI per Capita in Kenya from 19560 to 2023. In 2023, Kenya had a GNI per Capita at current prices of Ksh 262,204. The GNI per capita in constant prices was Ksh 179,580 in 2022.

Kenya’s GNI per Capita in constant 2015 prices (US$) was $ 1,727.

Kenya’s annual GNI growth

In 2022, Kenya’s annual GNI growth was 5.0%, down from 7.6% in 2021. Similarly, Kenya’s annual GNI per capita growth dropped from 5.6% in 2021 to 3.0% in 2022.

Kenya's annual GNI and GNI per capita growth between 1960 and 2022. Kenya's GNI grew by 5% in 2022, while its GNI per capita grew by 3%

Kenya’s GNI using the Atlas method

The World Bank uses the Atlas Method when converting GNIs from local currencies to US dollars for cross-country comparison. In Kenya, for instance, the Atlas Method is used when converting GNI from KES to US$.

Instead of using annual exchange rates for conversion, the Atlas Method averages exchange rates and inflation rates over three years.^[4] This method, therefore, adjusts for short-term economic shocks and exchange rate volatility.

Comparison between GNI based on the Atlas Method and in current US$
Year	GNI, Atlas method (current US$)	GNI (current US$)
2020	98.6 billion	98.8 billion
2021	110 billion	107.9 billion
2022	117.3 billion	111.7 billion

GNI and Kenya’s Human Development Index (HDI)

The Gross National Income per Capita is used to calculate a country’s Human Development Index (HDI). HDI measures socio-economic well-being across countries by taking into account differences in standards of living as measured by the GNI.

In 2022, Kenya had a HDI of 0.601. The GNI per Capita in 2022 (2017 PPP US$) was $ 4,808. Together with life expectancy, expected years of schooling, and mean years of schooling, the GNI was used to come up with Kenya’s HDI of 0.601.^[5]