The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) has compiled a report outlining the Gross County Product (GCP) per capita in all 47 Counties, with Nairobi County recording the highest number.
In the report titled 2024 Gross County Product, the bureau highlighted the clear disparity between the GCP per capita in urban areas and predominantly rural counties.
The capital city recorded a Ksh802,344 GCP per capita, which is almost three times the national average of Ksh293,229 GCP per capita.
"This dominance is driven by Nairobi’s status as the capital city and the major economic hub," part of the report explained.
Gross County Product per capita is calculated by dividing the GCP by the respective county population and aids in assessing economic development.
In Nairobi, the projected population in 2023 was 4,750,056 with a total working population of 2,191,913 in 2022.
This high number was also reflected in other cities including Mombasa and Nakuru, with a GCP per capita of Ksh507,337 and Ksh334,667 respectively.
Nyeri and Lamu counties also recorded numbers above the national average due to their significant contributions to the economy through the agriculture and manufacturing industries.
They recorded Ksh317,459 and Ksh304,024 GCP per capita respectively followed by Nyandarua, Embu, Machakos, and Meru Counties which also recorded numbers slightly higher than the national average.
"These counties have diversified economies with strong contributions from agriculture, manufacturing, and services," read the report.
On the flip side, 38 counties fell below the national average, a concerning disparity that saw bigger economies like Kiambu and Kisumu Counties record Ksh286,788 and Ksh274,947 GCP per capita respectively.
At the tail end, three Counties in the arid Northeastern region recorded an alarming GCP per capita below the Ksh100,000 mark.
Garissa, Wajir, and Mandera Counties recorded Ksh81,775, Ksh79,376, and Ksh72,764 GCP per capita respectively.
