Kenya GDP Growth Is 5.1% Despite Oil Shock
Kenya's economy grew 5.1% in April to June 2026, up from 4.9% a year earlier, as crude oil averaged US$104.45 a barrel and the long rains ended early. The post Kenya GDP Growth Is 5.1% Despite Oil Shock appeared first on The Rio Times .
Kenya's economy grew by 5.1% in the second quarter of 2026, despite a sharp rise in oil prices, according to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics. The increase occurred even as the early end of the long rains and global energy market disruptions created uncertainty. The average crude oil price was US$104.45 a barrel, up from US$67.44 a year earlier.
Inflation, driven by food and transport prices, rose to 6.23%, while consumer goods manufacturing grew by 2.2%. Despite these challenges, tea output rose by 11.1% to 162,600 tonnes and coffee exports increased by 10.0% to 22,046.4 tonnes. The slower growth compared to the first quarter and the higher inflation rate do not paint a one-dimensional picture of the economy.
Written by urgent.news from The Rio Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
