Nipate

Visitor arrivals through the country’s two main airports and other borders grew by 48.1 percent to 1.8 million during the first nine months of this year, coinciding with a visa-free policy that took effect at the start of 2025.

Data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) shows that in the nine months to September, visitors entering the country through the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and the Moi International Airport, excluding Kenyans, rose from 1.27 million in a similar period last year.

The rise came in the wake of a decision by Kenya to impose a visa-free policy for all visitors, which, from the start of this year, was in a bid to grow tourism and boost earnings to the economy.

• World Investment Report (FDI Flows) (Publisher: UNCTAD)
  Relevance: Tracks actual foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows, revealing where capital is truly flowing based on concrete investment actions.
  Kenya's Standing (Africa): Kenya significantly lags behind top FDI recipients in Africa like Egypt and South Africa, with a low FDI-to-GDP ratio (0.2% in 2024), indicating that despite positive rankings, challenges still temper actual investment.
  What Investors See: Low FDI figures compared to its ranking suggests underlying issues deterring foreign capital.
  
  
  
• Corruption Perception Index (CPI) (Publisher: Transparency International)
  Relevance: Measures perceived levels of public sector corruption, which is a major deterrent for foreign investment due to increased business costs and risks.
  Kenya's Standing (Africa): 13th in Africa, 121st globally in 2024, placing it behind peers like Botswana and Rwanda.
  What Investors See: Persistent corruption is a significant risk factor that can undermine profitability and operational efficiency.
  
  
  
• Global Innovation Index (GII) (Publisher: WIPO)
  Relevance: Ranks the innovation ecosystem, covering inputs like research and infrastructure and outputs like patents. Crucial for tech-focused investors.
  Kenya's Standing (Africa): 9th in Africa, 102nd globally in 2025, a steady decline from its previous performance. Kenya's innovation inputs rank poorly, indicating underinvestment in research.
  What Investors See: While strong on entrepreneurial activity, a weak underlying innovation ecosystem suggests hurdles for sustained, high-tech growth.
  
  
  
• Investment Climate Statements (Publisher: U.S. Department of State)
  Relevance: Detailed qualitative analysis of a country's legal, regulatory, and political environment from the U.S. perspective.
  Kenya's Standing (Africa): Not a quantitative rank, but the 2025 report notes a sophisticated capital market and no restrictions on fund transfers, while also highlighting concerns about corruption, political risk, and sector-specific ownership requirements.
  What Investors See: Provides nuanced, on-the-ground insights beyond broad metrics.
  
  
  
• Ibrahim Index of African Governance (IIAG) (Publisher: Mo Ibrahim Foundation)
  Relevance: A comprehensive index assessing governance across safety, rule of law, economic opportunity, and human development.
  Kenya's Standing (Africa): In 2022, Kenya ranked 13th in Africa. Recent trends show slowing progress, with gains in infrastructure overshadowed by deteriorations in the rule of law and safety.
  What Investors See: Deterioration in safety and rule of law is a red flag for long-term stability and political risk.
  

• IMD World Competitiveness Ranking (Publisher: IMD)
  Relevance: High-level indicator of economic health and potential based on executive perceptions and statistical data across economic performance, government efficiency, business efficiency, and infrastructure.
  Kenya's Standing (Africa): 1st in Africa, 56th globally in 2025.
  What Investors See: A signal of positive direction and potential, though it's important to remember this is a broad measure.
  

If Kenya is number 1 in Africa, then I pity the rest of Africa.