Tourism and agriculture leading in hiring as other sectors stumble
Data from the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) shows that these two sectors are the most confident about expanding staff numbers in 2025 compared to last year.
Kenya’s hotels and agricultural companies are leading the way in workforce growth this year, as positive business trends in tourism and farming encourage firms to hire, even while other industries struggle.
Data from the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) shows that these two sectors are the most confident about expanding staff numbers in 2025 compared to last year.
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The CBK July Market Perceptions Survey indicates that 20 per cent of agricultural firms have strong intentions to add more employees, up from 16 per cent in May.
Hotels are also showing optimism, with 11 per cent planning to raise their workforce compared to 2024.
The survey collected insights from 138 private companies outside the banking sector on whether they expect to employ more workers this year.
“Non-bank players reported a slowdown in hiring due to delayed payments from the government, increased operational costs, taxes, and levies, and opportunities to leverage on ICT to reduce manual operations,” the survey stated.
Although hotel hiring plans have dipped from 17 per cent in May, the sector remains one of the few outside agriculture confident about growth.
The boost comes as tourism recovers following the government’s removal of visa requirements for international travellers, attracting more visitors and increasing business for hotels.
Between January and May, the country welcomed 922,961 international arrivals, a 2.3 per cent rise from the same period last year.
Coffee exports surged 63 per cent to 32,290 tonnes, while flower, fruit, and vegetable exports jumped from 99,325 tonnes to 138,193 tonnes over the same period, according to the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA).
The growth in these sectors has allowed companies to increase production and hire more staff.
Meanwhile, other industries continue to face challenges, including delayed payments and high taxes.
The transport sector, for example, saw no company planning to hire this year, reversing a previous trend where 75 per cent of firms considered expanding their workforce.
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