Which Month Do Kenyans in the Diaspora Send the Most Money Home?

Which month do Kenyans in the diaspora send the most money home?

It's not February, despite Valentine's Day. And it's not random either.

December is consistently the strongest month for remittances, driven by holidays, family support, and end-of-year spending. February, on the other hand, appears weakest — but the story is more nuanced than it seems.

Key findings from an analysis of Kenya's diaspora remittance data:

1. From $74.3M average monthly remittances in 2011 to $419.7M in 2025, Kenya's diaspora grew flows by 465%. Over that period, the diaspora sent $40.51B home without missing a single month.

2. COVID marked a permanent shift. Average monthly remittances rose from $225M pre-2020 to $330M post-2020 — a 47% increase. Six years later, that higher baseline has never reversed.

3. Between 2011 and 2025, Kenya recorded 180 consecutive months of positive remittance inflows.

4. The highest monthly inflow on record was $445M in November 2024, during a pre-election period in the US. Uncertainty may have played a role.

5. December sends about 20% more than February on average ($246M vs $205M). But adjusting for calendar days, December's daily sending rate is only 8.5% higher ($7.94M/day vs $7.32M/day). January is actually the weakest month on a daily basis.

6. Q4 is 8.8% stronger than Q1 in average monthly inflows ($234M vs $215M), translating to roughly $230M more foreign exchange at year-end.

7. Between 2015 and 2019, remittances grew 11.2% annually, driven by diaspora maturation, mobile money adoption, and economic stability. In 2019–2020 alone, flows jumped 24% despite a global shutdown.

8. September is the most predictable month (±$115M deviation), while December is the most volatile (±$124M). Yet December remains the strongest every year.

9. North America consistently contributes 55% of all remittances — about $240M per month or $2.9B annually. One corridor now delivers more foreign exchange than several traditional export sectors combined.

10. At a post-COVID growth rate of 4.8% annually, Kenya's remittances are on track to reach $5.4B per year by 2030, up from $4.62B in 2025.

Data source: Central Bank of Kenya. Questions: info@leadafrik.com