Paying taxes: Labor tax and contributions in Kenya

Kenya: Paying taxes: Labor tax and contributions was 1.9% in 2019. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2019)
1.9%
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
176th
of 190 countries
All-time high
6.8%
in 2005
All-time low
1.9%
in 2013
Years of data
15
2005–2019

Paying taxes: Labor tax and contributions in Kenya, 2005–2019

2345672005201220192005: 6.8 % of profits2006: 6.8 % of profits2007: 6.8 % of profits2008: 6.8 % of profits2009: 6.8 % of profits2010: 6.8 % of profits2011: 6.8 % of profits2012: 6.8 % of profits2013: 1.9 % of profits2014: 1.9 % of profits2015: 1.9 % of profits2016: 1.9 % of profits2017: 1.9 % of profits2018: 1.9 % of profits2019: 1.9 % of profits

Source: World Bank. Measured in % of profits.

Analysis

Kenya recorded 1.9% for paying taxes: labor tax and contributions in 2019. That is the lowest value across all 15 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 72.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, paying taxes: labor tax and contributions in Kenya peaked at 6.8% in 2005 and was at its lowest, 1.9%, in 2013.

Kenya ranks 176th of 190 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Paying taxes: Labor tax and contributions in Kenya, year by year

Annual values for Paying taxes: Labor tax and contributions (% of profits) in Kenya, 2005 to 2019.
Year % of profits Change
2005 6.8%
2006 6.8% +0.0%
2007 6.8% +0.0%
2008 6.8% +0.0%
2009 6.8% +0.0%
2010 6.8% +0.0%
2011 6.8% +0.0%
2012 6.8% +0.0%
2013 1.9% -72.1%
2014 1.9% +0.0%
2015 1.9% +0.0%
2016 1.9% +0.0%
2017 1.9% +0.0%
2018 1.9% +0.0%
2019 1.9% +0.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 6.8% 6.8% 6.8% 5
2010s 3.4% 1.9% 6.8% 10

Countries ranked near Kenya

  1. 173 New Zealand 2.8% compare
  2. 174 Cambodia 2.3% compare
  3. 174 Seychelles 2.3% compare
  4. 176 Namibia 1.9% compare
  5. 178 Myanmar 0.3% compare
  6. 179 Bangladesh 0.0%
  7. 179 Afghanistan 0.0%
  8. 179 Armenia 0.0% compare
  9. 179 Bhutan 0.0%
  10. 179 Botswana 0.0%
  11. 179 Comoros 0.0%
  12. 179 Eritrea 0.0%
  13. 179 Georgia 0.0% compare
  14. 179 Lesotho 0.0%
  15. 179 North Macedonia 0.0% compare
  16. 179 Suriname 0.0%
  17. 179 Palestine, State of 0.0%

See the full ranking of 190 places →

More reference data data for Kenya

All data for Kenya →

Frequently asked questions

What is paying taxes: labor tax and contributions in Kenya?
Paying taxes: labor tax and contributions in Kenya was 1.9% in 2019, according to the World Bank.
What is the highest paying taxes: labor tax and contributions recorded in Kenya?
The highest recorded value was 6.8% in 2005.
What is the lowest paying taxes: labor tax and contributions recorded in Kenya?
The lowest recorded value was 1.9% in 2013.
How does Kenya rank for paying taxes: labor tax and contributions?
Kenya ranks 176th out of 190 countries with data for 2019.
Is paying taxes: labor tax and contributions rising or falling in Kenya?
Over the last ten years it is down 72.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Kenya data come from?
The figures come from the World Bank, published as part of Paying taxes: Labor tax and contributions (% of profits). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Paying taxes: Labor tax and contributions in Kenya. Statizoid. Retrieved 05 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/paying-taxes-labor-tax-and-contributions-percent-of-profits/kenya/

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About this data

Indicator
Paying taxes: Labor tax and contributions (% of profits)
Unit
% of profits
Source
World Bank
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
190 places, 2,789 data points, 2005–2019
Last refreshed

The labor tax and contributions measures all government mandated labor contributions that are borne by the business in the second year of operation, expressed as a share of commercial pro?t.