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Kenya’s Corporate Sector Experiences Growth in Number of Private Limited Companies

Nairobi, Kenya - The number of private limited companies registered in Kenya has continued to rise, with a cumulative total of 690,222 as at December 2022. According to data from the Registrar of Companies, this represents an increase of over 15% since 2018.

Private Limited Companies Lead the Charge


The majority of new company registrations were private limited companies, which accounted for 51,842 out of a total of 690,222 registered entities. This represents a significant increase from the 44,381 private limited companies registered in 2018.

Public Limited Companies See Modest Growth


In contrast, public limited companies saw more modest growth over the same period, with a cumulative total of 4,423 as at December 2022. The number of new public limited company registrations was relatively low, with only 89 registered in 2022.

Companies Limited by Guarantee Experience Mixed Growth


Companies limited by guarantee saw mixed growth over the period, with a cumulative total of 2,532 as at December 2022. While the number of new registrations was relatively low, there were some fluctuations from year to year.

Unlimited Companies See Low Registration Numbers


Unlimited companies experienced extremely low registration numbers over the period, with only 5 registered in Kenya between 2018 and 2022.

Foreign Companies Continue to Expand in Kenya


Foreign companies continued to expand their presence in Kenya, with a cumulative total of 5,343 as at December 2022. The number of new registrations was steady over the period, with 184 foreign companies registered in 2022.

Partnerships See Growth


Partnerships also saw growth over the period, although the data is not broken down by type (general partnerships or limited liability partnerships).

Full Tables


For full tables showing the number of registered companies by type and year, please see below:

Table 1: Number of Private Limited Companies Registered in Kenya (2018-2022)

Type of Legal Person 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Private Limited Companies 44,381 42,085 49,037 47,750 51,842

Table 2: Number of Public Limited Companies Registered in Kenya (2018-2022)

Type of Legal Person 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Public Limited Companies 176 165 153 193 184

Table 3: Number of Companies Limited by Guarantee Registered in Kenya (2018-2022)

Type of Legal Person 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Companies Limited by Guarantee 2,153 2,034 2,022 2,025 2,532

Table 4: Number of Foreign Companies Registered in Kenya (2018-2022)

Type of Legal Person 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Foreign Companies 176 165 153 193 184

Note: The data is based on information provided by the Registrar of Companies and may not reflect the actual number of companies in operation.