Real interest rate in Kenya
Kenya: Real interest rate was 13.0% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Real interest rate in Kenya, 1971–2024
Source: International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for real interest rate in Kenya is 13.0%, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of up 67.9% on the previous year and up 57.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, real interest rate in Kenya peaked at 21.1% in 1998 and was at its lowest, -10.1%, in 2009.
Kenya ranks 15th of 148 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1.9% | -7.5% | 20.1% | 9 |
| 1980s | 4.5% | 0.9% | 8.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 10.0% | -5.8% | 21.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.9% | -10.1% | 17.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.2% | 4.5% | 12.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.0% | 5.0% | 13.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
- 12 Uganda 14.7% compare
- 13 Azerbaijan 14.7% compare
- 14 Gambia 13.1% compare
- 16 Kyrgyzstan 12.6% compare
- 17 Laos 12.3% compare
- 18 Afghanistan 12.1% compare
More financial sector data for Kenya
- Domestic credit to private sector 31.8% (2023)
- Net domestic credit 7.15 trillion current LCU (2023)
- Total reserves in months of imports 4.03 (2024)
- Net foreign assets 796.06 billion current LCU (2023)
- Domestic credit to private sector by banks 29.7% (2024)
- Claims on central government, etc. 22.4% (2023)
- Monetary Sector credit to private sector 31.8% (2023)
- Broad money 37.6% (2024)
- Official exchange rate 129.3 LCU per US$, period average (2025)
- Net migration -27,330 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is real interest rate in Kenya?
- Real interest rate in Kenya was 13.0% in 2024, according to International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest real interest rate recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 21.1% in 1998.
- What is the lowest real interest rate recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was -10.1% in 2009.
- How does Kenya rank for real interest rate?
- Kenya ranks 15th out of 148 countries with data for 2024.
- Is real interest rate rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 57.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Kenya data come from?
- The figures come from International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Real interest rate (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
An interest rate is the amount charged, expressed as a percentage of the principal over a period of time, by the owners of certain kinds of financial assets for putting the financial assets at the disposal of another institutional unit. The real interest rate is the lending interest rate adjusted for inflation as measured by the GDP deflator. The terms and conditions attached to lending rates differ by country, however, limiting their comparability. This indicator is expressed as a percentage (a÷b)*100.