CBK launches survey to collect data on money Kenyans receive from abroad
By Kenneth Mwenda, August 5, 2025The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK), together with the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) and Financial Sector Deepening Kenya (FSD Kenya), has launched a new survey to collect detailed data on remittances sent to and from Kenya. The 2025 Remittances Household Survey (RHS) will be the first of its kind in the country and will run until September 2025.
According to a statement by CBK released on August 4, 2025, the aim of the survey is to gather important information on the money and support Kenyans receive from family and friends abroad, as well as what they send to others outside the country.
“The 2025 RHS aims to collect information on international remittances flows. Remittances are support received by households in Kenya from households outside Kenya. The support is received in form of money (cash) and/or in-kind (non-cash) without requiring the recipient to provide a corresponding item of economic value (good or service),” CBK stated.
Remittances hit new record
Remittances have grown sharply in recent years. In 2024, Kenyans received a record Ksh666.7 billion in remittances, which was estimated to be about 4 per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This was higher than the Ksh586.0 billion recorded in 2023.
At present, the CBK only tracks money sent through authorised channels like commercial banks, mobile money providers, and money transfer operators. But this new survey will also look at informal channels and in-kind support that does not pass through official systems.
The bank noted that with the growing importance of remittance flows, it is “imperative that accurate and comprehensive data is collected.” The 2025 RHS, it said, “represents a major step towards improved data on remittances and will collect valuable information on the amount, uses, cost and the challenges that will inform policy formulation.”
Field officers will visit selected households that have either received or sent money from abroad. The CBK has appealed to all chosen families to support the process.
“Given the importance of this exercise, we appeal to the selected households to cooperate and support the survey field staff,” the statement read.
The findings are expected to help the government better understand the role of remittances in the economy and guide future decisions and policies.