Why most Kenyans prefer self employment to looking for jobs

Kenya has been ranked among the top 10 countries where citizens want to be their own bosses or self-employed, a defining career aspiration of the modern workplace.

This is according to a new global study from Remitly Business, a cross-border payments provider for small businesses, which surveyed more than 5,000 people across 28 countries.

The study reveals where the self-employment dream is most alive, what’s driving it, and what’s holding people back from leaping forward.

Across the globe, nearly three-quarters (74.6 per cent) of people say they would rather be their own boss than work for someone else.

Kenya leads the global rankings of countries that most want to go it alone, with 98.0 per cent saying they would prefer self-employment over traditional employment, followed by South Africa at 92.7 per cent and Morocco at 90.7 per cent.

 May TikTok data showed that the hashtag #beyourownboss has racked up more than 730,000 posts, and nearly half of the world’s working population is already self-employed in some form.

India is raked position four at 90 per cent, followed by Mexico (84), the Philippines (82.8), the US (82.1), Japan (79.7), Canada (79.5) and Brazil at 76.6 per cent.

The top reasons for preferring self-employment are independence and control over how you work (cited by 72.7 per cent of respondents), greater flexibility over when and where you work (68.7 per cent), and a better work-life balance (60.3 per cent). Notably, financial gain ranks only fifth (48.2 per cent), suggesting that for most, the primary draw is agency rather than income. There is also a strong appetite for international work, with 58.1 per cent expressing interest in this.

At the same time, 36.4 per cent would want a mix of local and international clients, 16 per cent to build a business that operates across multiple countries, and 5.7 per cent would focus mainly on international clients.

In contrast, 35.8 per cent say they would prioritise their home market exclusively. Financial uncertainty is the biggest barrier to the great leap towards self-employment.

Despite this widespread interest, just a third (33.3 per cent) of respondents say they’re likely to take steps toward self-employment in the next 12 months.

Stable income

Financial concerns dominate their hesitations: more than half (56.5 per cent) cite not having a stable income as their biggest worry, followed by finding enough work or clients (51.9 per cent) and fear of failure (50.6 per cent).

The financial bar is also high, as more than half of respondents would need to earn at least 1.5 times more than their current salary before seriously considering self-employment, and around a fifth (22.9 per cent) state they would need to at least double their income.

Australians top the global ranking of people happiest working for someone else. The survey also shows that self-employment doesn’t appeal to everyone.

Australia (40.6 per cent), New Zealand (39.5 per cent), and the Czech Republic (37.1 per cent) have the highest share of people who prefer traditional employment.

The main reasons behind this are greater job security and benefits such as pensions and sick pay (61.7 per cent), lower financial risk (61.1 per cent), and not wanting the responsibility of running a business (56.0 per cent).

Netherlands follows at 36.3 per cent, followed by Ireland(31.8),  United Kingdom(31.3), Hungary(31.2), Chile(31.0), Belgium(30.2) and Spain 29.5 per cent.

The study also found that social media is selling a fantasy when it comes to self-employment. There is also scepticism about how self-employment is portrayed online.

More than eight in ten (84 per cent) respondents agree that social media makes self-employment look more appealing than it actually is, and a similar number (81 per cent) say hustle culture places too much pressure on people to be constantly working or earning.

The majority of respondents (78.1 per cent) believe that most people underestimate the risks of self-employment, and 64 per cent think the current economic climate makes it feel riskier than it used to.

“Our research highlights a growing gap between the ambition to start a business and the confidence to take that first step. Many people are drawn to the independence and flexibility that entrepreneurship can offer, but ongoing financial uncertainty is making it harder to leap,” said Ankur Tiwari, Vice President and General Manager, Remitly Business.

“What’s especially interesting is how global entrepreneurship is becoming. People want to build businesses that operate across borders from day one. Handling finances across countries has traditionally been complex, but the right tools can make it far more seamless and accessible for small businesses.”

For aspiring entrepreneurs, his advice is to start small and build gradually. “Testing an idea alongside a stable source of income can help reduce risk, create confidence, and give you the foundation to grow sustainably over time,” he said.

Despite widespread appetite, just a third (33.3 per cent) of respondents said they were likely to take steps toward self-employment in the next 12 months, with financial instability cited as the biggest concern

Almost eight in ten (78.1 per cent) agreed that most people underestimate the risks of self-employment. Just under half (43.7 per cent) feel the “be your own boss” narrative is oversold and the reality is often disappointing.

More than half (54.3 per cent) feel AI and technology are making it easier than ever to go self-employed. Also, 58.1 per cent of aspiring self-employed people around the world would want to work internationally in some capacity.