Nearly 3 million Kenyan youth are jobless and not in school, indicating they are idle in an economic setting where businesses are not creating enough jobs.

Data from the International Labour Organisation shows that 2.83 million Kenyan youths are classified as not in education, employment or training, the highest in the region, ahead of Tanzania (1.46 million), Uganda (1.17 million) and Rwanda (735,500).

Kenya’s economy has struggled to create quality jobs amid the surge in graduates leaving colleges and universities annually, creating a mounting pool of unemployed youths.

The figures also reveal a stark gender imbalance, with 1.7 million idle young women compared to 1.1 million men. About 782,300 new jobs were created in 2024, down from 848,100 new hires a year earlier, the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) data shows.

Ninety percent of jobs created in the year were from the informal sector, mirroring difficulties of corporate Kenya in creating quality employment for thousands of graduates leaving universities and colleges annually.

The economy created 75,000 formal jobs in 2024 compared to 122,900 a year earlier, far below the 286,695 graduates entering the labour market from universities and TVET institutions.

The gender dimension adds another layer of concern. With young women making up the majority of those excluded from work and education, the data points to persistent structural barriers, including limited access to opportunities, social constraints and labour market discrimination.

Across the East African region, Kenya’s situation stands out not only for its scale but also for the speed at which the crisis is intensifying.

The country’s relatively advanced education system is producing more graduates, but without corresponding growth in high-quality jobs.

The high unemployment rate, poor quality education and limited to no job opportunities, have led frustrated youth to seek movement abroad, says the Ichikowitz Family Foundation biannually.

The foundation focuses on issues affecting African youths, such as Afro-optimism, international influence on Africa, and Africa’s role on the global stage. It also looks at democracy, corruption and future ambitions through the lens of the youth.

The foundations reckon that about 7 out of 10 Kenyan youths want to leave the country for higher education and escape the soft economy that has failed to deliver jobs for thousands of graduates.

→ jwaweru@ke.nationmedia.com

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