Kenya has become Africa’s largest importer of second-hand clothing, surpassing Nigeria.
Nigeria, one of the continent’s biggest economies, has a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of $363.8 billion, significantly higher than Kenya’s $108 billion. Additionally, Nigeria’s population stands at approximately 227 million, compared to Kenya’s 55 million.
According to data from the Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC), Kenya imported used clothing and textiles worth Sh38.5 billion ($298 million) in 2023, marking a 12.45% increase from Sh34.28 billion ($265 million) in 2022. This growth has positioned Kenya ahead of Nigeria—despite the latter’s much larger population—as the leading importer of second-hand clothing on the continent.
The imports range from worn-out jeans and t-shirts to bedding and industrial rags, supporting a thriving market that provides affordable clothing options for Kenyans.
In 2022, Kenya and Nigeria were nearly tied in second-hand clothing imports, with both importing around Sh34.5 billion ($265 million), while South Africa followed closely at Sh33.76 billion ($261 million).
By 2023, the landscape had shifted: Kenya took the lead, Ghana rose to second place with imports worth Sh30.4 billion, while South Africa, Uganda, and Nigeria followed with Sh29.4 billion, Sh27.2 billion, and Sh27 billion, respectively.
Below is a breakdown of the market share of used clothing imports in Africa:
- Kenya: 3.56%
- Ghana: 2.35%
- Uganda: 2.14%
- Tanzania: 1.98%
- Angola: 1.93%
- Malawi: 1.8%
- Cameroon: 1.77%
- Madagascar: 1.35%
- Tunisia: 1.35%
- Benin: 1.34%
According to data from the Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC), the United States remains the largest exporter of second-hand clothing to developing nations, with Pakistan ranking as the world’s top importer.
Kenya’s Trade Policies on Second-Hand Clothing
Kenya, along with other eligible sub-Saharan countries, has significantly benefited from the extension of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA)—legislation introduced under the Trade and Development Act of 2000 (P.L. 106–200). AGOA was designed to support the economies of sub-Saharan Africa while strengthening economic ties with the United State