NAIROBI, Kenya — More than 500,000 Kenyans living and working across the Middle East are facing growing uncertainty as escalating regional tensions threaten both their safety and the economic lifeline they provide to families back home.
The conflict, triggered by reported strikes by the United States and Israel on Iranian targets followed by retaliatory attacks from Iran, entered its seventh day on Friday with no clear signs of de-escalation.
While the fighting is unfolding thousands of kilometres away, analysts warn the implications for Kenya could be immediate and far-reaching.
For years, the Kenyan government has relied on labour migration to Gulf states as a key strategy to address domestic unemployment.
Thousands of workers are employed across sectors such as domestic work, hospitality, construction, and security services in the Middle East.
According to Roseline Njogu, Kenya’s Principal Secretary for Diaspora Affairs, Saudi Arabia hosts the largest concentration of Kenyan workers in the region, with approximately 300,000 citizens currently employed there.
Speaking to Nation Media Group’s broadcaster NTV Kenya, Njogu said Qatar hosts about 70,000 Kenyans, while between 60,000 and 80,000 live and work in the United Arab Emirates.
Smaller Kenyan populations are also spread across the region, including around 25,000 in Lebanon, 4,000 to 5,000 in Oman, roughly 1,000 in Israel, and about 100 in Iran. Additional numbers are present in Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan.
Beyond the human safety concerns, the situation also raises economic risks for Kenya. Remittances from the diaspora remain one of the country’s most reliable sources of foreign exchange.
Data from the Central Bank of Kenya shows that Kenyans abroad sent home about Sh650 billion in 2025 alone. A substantial portion of that money originates from workers based in the Gulf and Middle Eastern economies.
These funds support millions of households by paying school fees, building homes, financing small businesses, and sustaining everyday consumption in both rural and urban areas.
At a macroeconomic level, remittances help stabilise the Kenyan shilling and narrow the country’s external financing gap.
Saudi Arabia, which hosts the largest share of Kenyan migrant workers in the region, has become one of the most important remittance corridors for Nairobi.
Any large-scale disruption to employment or movement of workers there could therefore ripple through Kenya’s economy.
Officials in Nairobi say contingency measures are being prepared should the conflict intensify.
The Department of Diaspora Affairs has activated emergency communication channels through Kenyan embassies and missions across the region.
Njogu urged Kenyans living abroad to register with diplomatic missions, noting that embassy databases are critical for tracking citizens during emergencies and coordinating assistance if needed.
Emergency hotline numbers have also been circulated, allowing Kenyans in distress to contact diplomatic staff directly.
Authorities say they are maintaining close communication with diaspora associations and community leaders to monitor developments on the ground.
For now, the government has not announced any evacuation plans.
William Ruto’s administration has instead issued security advisories urging Kenyans in the region to remain vigilant and limit unnecessary movement.
“Exercise extreme caution and avoid non-essential movement, especially near high-risk areas such as military facilities and crowded public spaces,” the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs (Kenya) said in a statement.
As of Thursday, the ministry had received about 300 calls from Kenyans seeking information through embassy hotlines and the 24-hour diaspora call centre in Nairobi.
