Kenya loses Sh800 billion annually to counterfeits

Anti-Counterfeit Authority Executive Director Dr. Robi Mbugua Njoroge (left) with Tanzania Fair Competition Commission Director General William Eroi (right) addressing the media at Authority Headquarters in Nairobi on March 25, 2024. [Boniface Okendo, Standard]

Kenya is losing a staggering KSh800 billion annually an amount equivalent to nearly 9% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) due to the proliferation of counterfeit goods, according to data released by the Anti-Counterfeit Authority (ACA).

The economic drain is not only straining the country’s financial health but also costing Kenyans 44,000 jobs each year.