The number of registered births of Kenyans occurring outside the country rose significantly in 2024, with the USA (28.9%), the UK (18.9%), and the UAE (6.3%) contributing the highest numbers.
- •Foreign registration of births by Kenyan citizens outside the country increased from 4,954 in 2023 to 5,694 in 2024.
- •Birth registration was highest among mothers aged 30 to 34, accounting for 35% of total registrations, according to the Kenya Vital Statistics Report 2024 by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS).
- •Within Africa, Uganda, South Africa, and Tanzania emerged as popular countries for births by Kenyans abroad.
Uganda accounted for 197 births—104 male and 93 female. South Africa, the second-highest in the continent, recorded 151 births, while Tanzania had 145.
In 2024, KNBS data also recorded notable numbers of Kenyan births in countries such as Australia (235), the United Arab Emirates (361), Canada (225), Qatar (104), Sweden (125), Germany (130), Yemen (92), Finland (87), and Switzerland (77).
Nationally, most births occurred among women aged 20–29, while teenage births accounted for 11.3% of all births in 2024.
Between 2020 and 2024, a total of 80,132 marriages were registered. In 2024 alone, 15,045 marriages were recorded, with Nairobi City County accounting for 39.6% of them. Christian and civil marriages were the dominant forms, peaking in 2021 and 2023, respectively. Kiambu, Machakos, Nakuru, and Uasin Gishu counties followed Nairobi in the number of registered marriages. In contrast, Wajir, Turkana, Lamu, Garissa, and Tana River counties reported the lowest numbers. Customary and Hindu marriages remained low, with nearly all Hindu unions reported in Nairobi City and Mombasa counties.
Kenya recorded 335 adoptions in 2024, down from 474 in 2023. Most adopted children were aged between 1 and 6 years, with age 2 being the most common. Female children accounted for 51% of adoptions. Nearly all (99%) were by married Kenyan couples, with only three international cases reported.
Nairobi City County was the leading place of birth for adopted children, accounting for 67% of all adoptions in 2024. It was followed by Kiambu, Machakos, Nakuru, and Mombasa counties.
