Recent projections by World Data Lab revealed that Gen Zs make up the largest spenders, particularly in the African continent. In Kenya, Gen Z emerged as the biggest spenders, with projections estimating that in 2025, they will spend Sh4.4 trillion ($ 34 billion) on goods and services.

These revelations are a testament that demographic trends are now a critical aspect influencing markets. But where exactly are the Gen Zs, the richest generation of all time, spending their money on?

While previous generations prioritised their spending on basic needs, for Gen Zs, it’s contrary. They have increasingly allocated most of their spending on experience, entertainment, lifestyle, and fashion, among others.

In 2025, the typical African Gen Z will spend most of their money, nearly 40 per cent, on food, twice more than they will allocate on housing, transport, education, and health combined.

Unlike millennials who are more into fine dining, Gen Zs prefer chasing experience, flavours and culture.

For them, food is not just a way of sustaining themselves but rather a part of a lifestyle that makes up their identity and influences their social lives. Evident on social media, particularly TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, Gen Zs document their meals, try out new viral recipes, and catalyse food tourism where they explore hidden gems with the most affordable or flavourful menus.

“The typical food we‘ve grown up eating is very boring. I love the adventure of trying out new food and experimenting new recipes, even if it comes at a cost. Additionally, food is culture, it is one of the reasons why we socialise as Gen Zs,” says Natalie Gabriella, a 22-year-old final-year student at the University of Nairobi.

On a random day, she adds, she can call her friends and even meet new people on TikTok who want to try out new foods, searching out Chinese foods, Indian buffets, and platters. More notably, part of the Gen Zs attribute their huge expenditure on food to inflated prices and independence.

Unlike previous generations who even at an older age stayed in family units, most of the Gen Zs are independent. At such young ages, they have moved from their parent’s houses and have started life on their own, like in the “moving-out-at-early-20s” videos on social media.

As such, they have to foot their bill,s which is part of navigating their independent or semi-independent life.

Cost-share the bills

“I live with my roommate, who is also a student like me, and we earn a living through online gigs. Even though we cost-share the bills most of the time, food has proved to be more expensive than rent. We spend more money on food and related supplies than we do on any other thing,” notes Lauryn Namukuru, a Gen Z student who has rented in Rongai.

She also notes that due to limited or a lack of income streams, most of her money goes to food, which is her immediate need. Further, some of the Gen Zs are not much into cooking, forcing them to order fast food and ready-made meals online.

Tevin Otieno says that he does not enjoy cooking and as such mostly eats out at “vibandaskis” on a broke day, restaurants on good days, and street food for leisure eating. “Eating out comes at a cost. When I’m ordering, I have to pay delivery fees and you know the food already comes overcharged depending on where I’m buying from. Even though it is costly, the food is always nice unlike when I cook for myself,” he says.

With culture, experience, limited income, and convenience being their key reasons, World Data Lab revealed that the African Gen Z spending will cough a whopping $502.3 billion on food alone in 2025. Out of this, $190 billion will go to housing, reflecting their great need for independence which results in co-living spaces, budget-friendly rentals, and hostel-livi8ng arrangements.