Beyond Borders: The Surge of Refugees in Kenya

Kenya continues to shoulder a growing refugee burden, with the country hosting about 858,000 refugees and asylum seekers as of May 2025, according to the latest Global Report on Food Crises Country Profiles by IGAD and GRFC.

This figure represents a 16 per cent increase from 2024, underscoring the country’s central role as a haven in the Horn of Africa.

The majority of refugees in Kenya originate from Somalia (57 per cent) and South Sudan (23 per cent), two nations long marred by conflict and instability. Women and children constitute 76 per cent of this population, highlighting the humanitarian dimension of displacement.

Most refugees are concentrated in Dadaab, Garissa County, and Kakuma, Turkana County, with 87 per cent living in these camps.

Only 13 per cent reside in urban centers. However, the camps continue to grapple with scarce resources, limited livelihood opportunities, and overstretched infrastructure, conditions that deepen their vulnerability.