NAIROBI, Kenya — Kenya has reached a new milestone in its economic relations with the United Kingdom, with bilateral trade surpassing the £2 billion (Sh340 billion) mark for the first time in history, the Ministry of Trade announced on Wednesday, November 5.
According to the ministry’s latest figures, the total value of goods and services traded between the two nations in the year ending September 2025 rose by 11.9 P.c compared to the same period in 2024, underscoring the strength of Kenya’s export diversification and the growing confidence of British investors.
The report shows that Kenya exported goods worth Sh63 billion (£371 million) and services worth Sh71.5 billion (£421 million) to the UK.
The growth was largely driven by agricultural commodities and high-value food products, with animal and vegetable exports rising by 15.6 P.c to Sh28.7 billion (£169.2 million) and beverages such as coffee and tea increasing by 12.8 P.c to Sh24.3 billion (£143.3 million). These categories remain among Kenya’s top five exports to the British market.
On the other hand, the UK’s exports to Kenya grew by 8 P.c, reaching Sh134.6 billion (£792 million), up from Sh124 billion (£733 million) in 2024.
The strongest gains were recorded in mechanical power generators (18.3 P.c), refined oil (12 P.c), and motor vehicles (10 P.c), reflecting continued British dominance in industrial and energy supplies to East Africa’s largest economy.
The record-breaking trade performance follows President William Ruto’s state visit to London in July 2025, during which he witnessed the signing of several high-profile agreements aimed at deepening bilateral trade, health, infrastructure, and financial services ties.
During the visit, Kenya secured the UK’s commitment to the Sh30 billion Nairobi Railway City project, modelled after London’s King’s Cross Station, which aims to transform Nairobi into a modern transport hub.
The project is part of Kenya’s Vision 2030 infrastructure blueprint and is expected to create thousands of jobs.
President Ruto also presided over the signing of Memorandums of Understanding between the University of Nottingham, King’s College London, and the Kenya-UK Health Alliance to establish Centres of Health Education and Research Excellence in Kenya.
In addition, Lloyd’s of London, one of the world’s leading insurance and reinsurance markets, agreed to set up a regional underwriting office in Nairobi. The move is expected to strengthen Kenya’s position as a financial hub in East Africa and provide local businesses with access to global risk management solutions.
Ahead of his trip, Ruto had announced that Kenya and the UK would review their Strategic Partnership Agreement for 2025–2030, with priorities spanning climate action, innovation, green growth, peace and security, and trade and investment.
The United Kingdom remains one of Kenya’s largest foreign investors, with over 150 British companies operating locally. According to the British High Commission in Nairobi, these enterprises employ more than 250,000 Kenyans and contribute significantly to tax revenues.
Analysts say the latest trade figures signal renewed momentum in post-Brexit trade between Kenya and the UK, boosted by the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) signed in 2020, which guarantees duty-free and quota-free access for Kenyan exports to the British market.
