Kenya's AGOA Employment Jumps 22.8% to Record 82,026 Jobs in 2025
Updated
Updated · The Star Kenya · Aug 17
Kenya's AGOA Employment Jumps 22.8% to Record 82,026 Jobs in 2025
2 articles · Updated · The Star Kenya · Aug 17
Summary
82,026 direct jobs were supported under AGOA in Kenya in 2025, up from 66,008 in 2024 and the highest level in the reported series.
The 22.8% rise reflects continued demand from export-oriented industries benefiting from AGOA, which gives eligible African countries preferential access to the U.S. market.
Kenya's AGOA-linked employment has climbed steadily in recent years, from 58,000 in 2023 and 50,042 in 2021 after dipping to 45,059 in 2020.
The record underscores the weight of Kenya-U.S. trade in job creation and the broader role of export manufacturing in Kenya's economy.
Kenya's AGOA jobs surged in 2025 while total program imports plummeted globally; what hidden strategy fueled this unexpected manufacturing boom?
With AGOA's retroactive renewal expiring in late 2026, can Kenya's record-breaking apparel sector survive without the crucial third-country fabric loophole?