Kenya’s population rose to 57.5 m people in 2025.

Neither way is good in itself. Population has no good or bad direction, because a larger total can mean more workers and customers or more pressure on land, schools and jobs. The latest figure is 57.5 million, up 1.1 million from 56.4 million a year earlier, a rise of 1.9%. That is the highest level since 2016, when the series stood at 48.1 million, its lowest point in the window. The series has risen steadily across the whole span, so the latest reading sits at the top of its own range. No peer ranking is given for this measure.

Why it matters. A population of 57.5 million means Kenya adds roughly the population of a large town each year, and every new cohort needs school places, clinics, housing and eventually work. Firms see a growing domestic market, but only if incomes rise alongside numbers. The state has to stretch services and infrastructure across more people each year, so spending per head falls unless the budget grows at least as fast.