Kenya Opens Jeddah Consulate to Assist 350,000 Nationals in Saudi Arabia

Kenya has opened a new Consulate General in Jeddah to provide better services for its citizens living and working in Saudi Arabia.

The mission, inaugurated on 3 November 2025, is intended to ease pressure on the embassy in Riyadh and respond to the growing number of Kenyans in the Kingdom. The expansion comes as labour migration to Saudi Arabia continues to rise and as the Kingdom implements major changes to its labour system.

Saudi Arabia introduced wide-ranging reforms in June 2025, dismantling the long-standing kafala system and replacing it with contract-based employment arrangements that took effect in October. The shift affects an estimated 13 million migrant workers. 

Further changes are scheduled for February 2026, when a minimum wage of SAR 1,000 (about KES 34,455) will apply to all workers, including foreigners. Kenya’s government estimates that roughly 350,000 of its nationals now work in Saudi Arabia, many in domestic and transport roles. 

Appearing before Parliament’s Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations Committee, Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign Affairs Minister Musalia Mudavadi said the rise in migration had made additional consular capacity essential. He reported 3,452 distress cases involving Kenyan workers in the Middle East since 2023 and confirmed plans to establish a safe house for citizens in need.

The Jeddah consulate, led by Ambassador Aden Mohamud Mohamed, will serve Kenyans in Medina and the wider Makkah region. It will also support thousands of Kenyan pilgrims during the annual Hajj, providing consular assistance and travel coordination.

Persistent reports of mistreatment of Kenyan workers in the Gulf have prompted scrutiny of labour recruitment practices. Mudavadi rejected claims that government officials are involved in irregular schemes, saying recruitment remains regulated. 

He added that Kenyans seeking jobs abroad must secure travel insurance, with no single provider holding exclusive rights. Nairobi and Riyadh are also negotiating a broader labour agreement covering both skilled and semi-skilled workers.

According to Mudavadi, the talks are at an advanced stage and aim to strengthen protections for Kenyan employees while aligning with Saudi Arabia’s labour needs.