In 2022, Kenya scored 0.60 points in the Human Development Index (HDI), which indicated a medium level of development. An overall improvement was recorded from 2000 onwards. That year, Kenya's score was 0.49, meaning that the country had a low level of human development. The categorization changed from low to medium in 2008; however, it fell back into the low HDI category the following year. Since 2010, Kenya has remained in the medium category.

Kenya Human Development Indices per county

In 2022, Mauritius and the Seychelles scored just over 0.8 points on the Human Development Index (HDI), which indicated a very high level of development. Moreover, this was the highest score achieved in the East African region. Kenya followed, with an HDI of 0.6 points. Conversely, Somalia and South Sudan recorded the lowest in the region with 0.38 points, which signifies low human development.

Compared to other African countries, Seychelles scored the highest in the Human Development Index (HDI) in 2022. The country also ranked 67th globally, as one of the countries with a very high human development. This was followed by Mauritius, Libya, Egypt, and Tunisia, with scores ranging from 0.80 to 0.73 points. On the other hand, Central African Republic, South Sudan, and Somalia were among the countries in the region with the lowest index scores, indicating a low level of human development.

The aim of the Human Development Report is to stimulate global, regional and national policy-relevant discussions on issues pertinent to human development. Accordingly, the data in the Report require the highest standards of data quality, consistency, international comparability and transparency. The Human Development Report Office (HDRO) fully subscribes to the Principles governing international statistical activities.

The HDI was created to emphasize that people and their capabilities should be the ultimate criteria for assessing the development of a country, not economic growth alone. The HDI can also be used to question national policy choices, asking how two countries with the same level of GNI per capita can end up with different human development outcomes. These contrasts can stimulate debate about government policy priorities. The Human Development Index (HDI) is a summary measure of average achievement in key dimensions of human development: a long and healthy life, being knowledgeable and have a decent standard of living. The HDI is the geometric mean of normalized indices for each of the three dimensions.

The 2019 Global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) data shed light on the number of people experiencing poverty at regional, national and subnational levels, and reveal inequalities across countries and among the poor themselves.Jointly developed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) at the University of Oxford, the 2019 global MPI offers data for 101 countries, covering 76 percent of the global population. The MPI provides a comprehensive and in-depth picture of global poverty – in all its dimensions – and monitors progress towards Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 1 – to end poverty in all its forms. It also provides policymakers with the data to respond to the call of Target 1.2, which is to ‘reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women, and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definition'.

In 2018, the average inflation rate in Kenya amounted to about 4.69 percent compared to the previous year, a significant decrease from 7.99 percent the year prior. Forecasts see Kenya’s inflation levelling off at around five percent in the near future.

Kenya sees economic growth

Kenya’s economic growth has been quite steady these past few years and is still on the rise – except for a little dip in 2017, which is no real reason for concern. Gross domestic product (GDP) is forecast to almost double by 2024, and unemployment, although still above 10 percent, is on the decline. Although Kenya may not be among the leading countries on the Human Development Index (HDI) yet, but these economic trends plus demographic key factors like a declining infant mortality rate and a life expectancy at birth that has increased by a decade over the same time span show that Kenya is definitely on the way.

A brief look at Kenya’s economy

Kenya’s market-based economy is considered East Africa’s finance and transportation hub. Most of Kenya’s GDP is generated by services, especially travel and tourism, but agriculture is also quite successful, as it contributes about a third to GDP. The country exports less than it imports, and its leading exports are mostly commodities like tea and coffee. Imports include petroleum, machinery, and metals. Subsequently, Kenya’s trade balance is in the red, however, national debt is decreasing.