National Employment Authority bans 400 recruitment agencies for fake overseas jobs

National Employment Authority (NEA) Chairperson, Vincent Kigen and CS Alfred Mutua, among others, during the signing of performance agreements for the 2024/2025 fiscal year at the NSSF Building. (Photo: Vincent Kigen/ Facebook)

By Lucy Mumbi
Wednesday, December 3, 2025

Kenya’s National Employment Authority has banned at least 400 recruitment agencies for sending Kenyans to non-existent jobs abroad, amid a wider crackdown to protect migrant workers from fraud and exploitation.

At least 400 recruitment agencies have been banned by the National Employment Authority (NEA) for sending Kenyans to non-existent jobs abroad.

NEA Chairman Vincent Kigen said the operation, which is being conducted in collaboration with the police, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), and other multi-agency teams, is part of a wider crackdown on rogue operators who have left job seekers financially stranded and exposed to exploitation.

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“They have nowhere to hide. We have closed shop for many of them. The clean-up aims to protect thousands of Kenyans seeking opportunities beyond the country's borders,” Kigen said.

He urged job seekers to engage licensed and registered agencies by the NEA, emphasising that verified firms make it easier for the government to trace and monitor the welfare of Kenyan migrant workers.

“That is how we will be able to trace Kenyans who are working abroad and monitor their welfare, unlike individuals who use tourist visas and end up being stuck. It becomes very difficult to trace them when challenges arise,” he said.

Kigen also highlighted the government’s efforts to sign bilateral labour agreements with countries that absorb Kenyan workers.

“The agreements spell out the terms of engagement for Kenyans working in those countries,” he said.

He further revealed that diaspora remittances from Kenyan workers abroad under the Kenya Kwanza programme have reached Sh400 million, reflecting the growing economic contribution of labour migration.

The crackdown follows President William Ruto’s remarks on November 5, during a meeting with Kenyans in the diaspora in Doha, Qatar, where he confirmed that hundreds of rogue labour recruitment agencies have been deregistered.

“To safeguard Kenyan workers, more than 600 rogue labour agencies have been deregistered. The deployment is now limited to countries with formal bilateral labour agreements with Kenya,” the President said.

Early in November, the government deregistered 680 recruitment agencies nationwide for breaching labour regulations, following investigations showing that many operated without valid licenses.

Labour Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua said the Multi-Agency Labour Mobility Taskforce had received over 100 formal complaints from victims in 15 counties, who collectively lost Sh17.3 million to fraudulent agencies.

“Most of the victims approached us after being promised high-paying jobs abroad, only to end up stranded, financially devastated, and in some cases without travel documents,” Mutua said.

In July, viral footage of youths from the Coast region protesting against fake recruiters had heightened public awareness of the issue. The Ministry of Labour subsequently released a list of 44 recruitment agencies accused of defrauding Kenyans.

In a statement on July 18, 2025, Mutua noted that the Ministry, through the Multi-Agency Response Team, has been investigating dozens of complaints from citizens defrauded, misled or exploited by unregistered and unlicensed actors.