The government has assured Kenyans that the second Integrated Labour Force Survey (ILFS) has been comprehensively designed to gather up-to-date data on the labour market to address crucial data gaps affecting national development strategies including the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), Vision 2030 and the Medium-Term Plan IV (#MTPIV) strategies.
Director General for Economic Planning Dr. Masini Ichwara stated that the 2026 Integrated Labour Force Survey set to be conducted across the country from June to September this year, was designed to inform the strategies in economic planning, track employment trends, and design targeted interventions for youth, women and the informal sector.
The Director said that the survey represents a major step forward in strengthening the quality, comparability, and coherence of labour statistics in the country.
Dr. Ichwara explained that the survey by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), aims to collect comprehensive data on employment, labour under-utilization, the informal sector, and digital platform work.
Speaking in Nakuru when he officially closed a 17-day training programme for 192 field personnel who will conduct the exercise, the Director General observed that high-quality and reliable Labour Market Information (LMI) was vital for analyzing employment trends, workforce dynamics, and informing policies, aimed at promoting decent employment opportunities.
The official stated that ILFS will provide timely insights into employment patterns, workforce skills and emerging labour market challenges adding that the insights were vital for tracking progress towards the Kenya’s Vision 2030, as well as international commitments such as the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“The availability of robust, unified LMI allows for better policy design, improved program monitoring, and a more inclusive, adaptive, and sustainable labour market responsive to socio-economic changes,” stated the Director General.
Kenya carried out its inaugural Integrated Labour Force Survey (ILFS) in 1998, the first of its kind to integrate three related surveys (labour force, informal sector and child labour modular surveys) into a single cost-effective survey. It was conducted over the whole country and covered 11,049 households giving a response rate of 86.2 per cent.
The survey provided indicators such as school enrolments rates, housing conditions, access to amenities and facilities, income and expenditures, unemployment rates, and income and expenditure levels which provided invaluable inputs into the monitoring and evaluation of the economic reforms and poverty reduction programmes that are being implemented by the Government.
The key objectives of the survey were to update data on the labour force, determine the size and output of the informal sector, and estimate the extent of child labour, where a rich data bank was created as a by-product of data processing exercise, which had previously been used to carry out further analysis of the information collected by the survey.
Dr. Ichwara explained that the 2026 ILFS is aimed at capturing employment dynamics, measure unemployment and underemployment, and provide a deeper understanding of the informal sector and child labour.
It will also analyze employment distribution by sector, occupation, and hours of work, wages, and educational attainment.
The exercise will examine the extent of unemployment, youth unemployment, long-term unemployment and time-related underemployment, while providing evidence on informal sector activities and the participation of children in economic and non-economic work, consistent with international standards on labour statistics and child labour.
“After the exercise, researchers, private sector actors, and development partners will also find the data critical for evidence-based analysis and programming. Results will shape interventions for youth, women, and persons with disabilities and guiding policies,” Dr. Ichwara observed.
The survey is a collaboration between Kenya National Bureau of Statistics Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, National Employment Authority (NEA), National Industrial Training Authority (NITA), World Bank (EARSPR), International Labour Organization (ILO), UN Women and tripartite partners.
KNBS Senior Manager Isaac Ndegwa elaborated that 2026 ILFS will provide a comprehensive, and in-depth understanding of the dynamics of the labour market in Kenya while capturing vital data beyond traditional employment, ultimately guiding government policy, job creation strategies, and bilateral labor negotiations.
According to Ndegwa the ILFS is designed to achieve several critical objectives in Kenya including quantifying the informal sector through mapping the exact size, structure, and dynamics of Kenya’s massive informal economy, which accounts for over 80 percent of total jobs, helping the government integrate these workers into social protection systems.
He stated that by gathering highly detailed demographic and geographic data, it will accurately measure unemployment, time-related underemployment, and the specific reasons behind youth unemployment.
The senior manager disclosed that the survey features modules specifically aimed at identifying the size, distribution, and conditions of child labor, which directly guides policies to eliminate exploitative practices.
“It will ultimately serve as the core evidence base for National Employment Policies and Strategies, aiding in the creation of targeted technical and vocational training. It will support the development of harmonized data—in conjunction with the Kenya Labour Market Information System—to formulate policies and guide bilateral labour negotiations for Kenyans working overseas,” he pointed out.
Treasury Economic Planning Secretary Timothy Gakuo indicated that special emphasis will be placed on understanding the needs and challenges of youth, women, and persons with disabilities within the labour force.
“It will also provide updated data after major changes in the economy; and help in the design of interventions for youth, women, persons with disabilities, and workers in informal jobs,” noted Gakuo.
The Economic Planning Secretary said the ILFS is critical to Kenya’s socio-economic development as the data provides the foundational metrics used to formulate and track Kenya’s policies on employment, such as the National Employment Policy and Strategies for Kenya.
The survey will help policymakers determine whether the economy is generating enough decent jobs and indicate where government interventions are most needed, while providing a granular breakdown of unemployment and underemployment.
He added that the ILFS will help the Ministry of Education align the country’s curriculum and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programs with the actual needs of the modern labor.
by Esther Mwangi/Linah Furahah
