Kenya Shifts Diaspora Strategy From Remittances to Investment and Skills

Kenya is shifting its diaspora policy towards investment, innovation and knowledge transfer, with the Government seeking to make greater use of the skills and professional networks of citizens living abroad.

Principal Secretary for Diaspora Affairs Roseline Kathure Njogu outlined the approach in New York this week during a Devex Impact House dialogue held on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly. Njogu said Kenyans living abroad should continue contributing to the country’s economy even when they are not physically in Kenya. Her remarks came as diaspora remittances reached a record $5.04 billion in 2025, reinforcing the community’s role in supporting foreign exchange earnings.

She said financial transfers were only one part of the diaspora’s contribution and called for greater focus on skills, expertise and professional networks. Njogu promoted the concept of “brain circulation” as an alternative to the traditional focus on “brain drain”. Under this approach, skilled Kenyans abroad can contribute through short-term assignments, remote collaboration and structured knowledge-sharing programmes without having to return to Kenya permanently.

She cited healthcare workers as an example, noting that temporary professional engagements can strengthen institutions in Kenya while allowing workers to continue their careers overseas. The model would allow the country to benefit from specialised expertise without requiring professionals to relocate permanently.

A key part of the Government’s strategy is the Kenya Diaspora Impact Platform, which is intended to provide a single hub for investment, enterprise development, skills transfer and community financing. By bringing these opportunities together, the platform aims to support more coordinated diaspora participation in national development rather than relying mainly on individual remittances.

Constitutional provisions recognising dual citizenship and diaspora voting rights have also changed the relationship between the State and Kenyans living abroad, giving them a more formal role in the country’s political and economic affairs.

Njogu also linked diaspora engagement to Kenya’s Global Labour Market Strategy, which is designed to prepare Kenyan workers for employment abroad while protecting their rights and welfare.

The strategy includes regulation of recruitment agencies, bilateral labour agreements and ethical recruitment practices. It also provides for pre-departure training and measures to protect Kenyan workers overseas. Njogu said labour mobility should be “safe, orderly and regular”, with benefits extending to workers, host countries and Kenya. The emphasis on worker protection comes as the Government seeks to expand international employment opportunities for the country’s young workforce.

The strategy treats the diaspora as a source of skills, professional connections and investment, alongside its established role in sending remittances. It aims to incorporate these contributions more directly into Kenya’s development planning and use international mobility as a means of supporting economic development.