The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) has launched the country’s first Remittances Household Survey (RHS), a nationwide exercise aimed at gathering in-depth data on how Kenyan households receive and send money across borders.
In a statement, CBK said the survey is being conducted in partnership with the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) and Financial Sector Deepening Kenya (FSD Kenya), and will run from July to September 2025.
The exercise targets selected households that either send or receive remittances, with the aim of capturing detailed information on the nature, volume, and usage of funds and non-cash support exchanged between Kenya and the diaspora.
According to CBK, remittances have become a key driver of the economy. In 2024, inflows reached a record Sh666.7 billion—up from Sh586 billion in 2023—accounting for around 4 per cent of the country’s GDP.
While the CBK currently tracks data from formal sources such as commercial banks, mobile money platforms, and money transfer operators, the survey is expected to provide a more complete picture by also covering informal remittance channels and in-kind support like goods and services.
“The 2025 RHS is a critical step in improving the accuracy and depth of remittance data. It will shed light on key aspects such as the amounts sent and received, associated costs, usage patterns, and challenges faced, which will in turn help shape evidence-based policy interventions,” the statement read.
CBK has urged all selected households to cooperate with field officers, emphasising that the success of the survey is vital to the development of policies that will enhance and safeguard remittance flows to and from Kenya.
