R&D spending share of GDP in Kenya

Spending on research and development in Kenya was equal to 0.81% of GDP in 2024.

Measure: Research and development expenditure (UNESCO) Unit: % of GDP Data: 2007 to 2024 Source: World Bank
Kenya, 2024 0.81% % of GDP
Change from 2023 +0.01percentage points 2023: 0.80%
World, 2023 2.60% Official aggregate Not the same period as Kenya (2024).

R&D spending share of GDP in Kenya over time

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Kenya World ×

% of GDP. Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators. Gaps mean no published value; points are not joined across missing years.

Research and development expenditure (UNESCO) (% of GDP), 2000 to 2024
Period KenyaWorld
2024 0.81% –
2023 0.80% 2.60%
2022 0.41% 2.57%
2021 – 2.52%
2020 – 2.46%
2019 – 2.26%
2018 – 2.22%
2017 – 2.14%
2016 – 2.15%
2015 – 2.10%
2014 – 2.09%
2013 – 1.98%
2012 – 2.01%
2011 – 1.98%
2010 0.69% 2.00%
2009 – 2.01%
2008 – 1.98%
2007 0.36% 1.92%
2006 – 1.96%
2005 – 1.95%
2004 – 1.97%
2003 – 2.02%
2002 – 2.03%
2001 – 2.06%
2000 – 2.05%

A dash means no value was published for that period.

In short

  • That is a change of +0.01 percentage points from 0.80% in 2023.
  • Since 2007, when it was 0.36%, the figure has changed by +0.46 percentage points.

Source and dates

Original producer
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Distributed by
World Bank, World Development Indicators
Dataset or series code
GB.XPD.RSDV.GD.ZS · dataset details · view at source
Observation period
2007 to 2024 for Kenya
Provider update
8 October 2026
Retrieved
9 November 2026
Published here
9 November 2026
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (per series metadata)
Attribution
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators, original data: UNESCO Institute for Statistics