This table provides metadata for the actual indicator available from Kenya statistics closest to the corresponding global SDG indicator. Please note that even when the global SDG indicator is fully available from Kenyan statistics, this table should be consulted for information on national methodology and other Kenyan-specific metadata information.
| Indicator information |
Manufacturing employment as a proportion of total employment |
|---|---|
| Goal |
Goal 9: Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation |
| Target |
Target 9.2: Promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and, by 2030, significantly raise industry’s share of employment and gross domestic product, in line with national circumstances, and double its share in least developed countries |
| Indicator |
Indicator 9.2.2: Manufacturing employment as a proportion of total employment |
| Metadata update |
2024 |
| Related indicators |
8.2.1 Annual growth rate of real GDP per employed person |
| Organisation |
Kenya National Bureau of Statistics |
| Contact person(s) |
Senior Manager, Labor and Prices Statistics |
| Contact organisation unit |
Directorate of Production Statistics |
| Contact person function |
Production and Dissemination of Employment, earnings and consumer price index (CPI) Statistics |
| Contact phone |
+254-20-3317583/+254-20-3317612/+254-20-3317586] |
| Contact mail |
30266-00100, Nairobi Kenya |
| Contact email |
dps@knbs.or.ke |
| Definition and concepts |
Definitions: This indicator presents the share of manufacturing employment in total employment. Concepts: Employment comprises all persons of working age who during a short reference period (one week), were engaged in any activity to produce goods or provide services for pay or profit. The difference between the two series for a given country is the operational criteria used to define employment, with one series based on the statistical standards from the 13th International Conference of Labour Statisticians (ICLS) and the other series based on 19th ICLS standards. In the 19th ICLS series, employment is defined more narrowly as work done for pay or profit, while activities not done mainly in exchange for remuneration (i.e., ownuse production work, volunteer work and unpaid trainee work) are recognized as other forms of work. No distinction is made between persons employed full time and those working less than full time. The manufacturing sector is defined according to the International Standard Industrial Classification of all Economic Activities (ISIC) revision 4 (2008, the latest) or revision 3 (1990). It refers to industries belonging to sector C in revision 4 or sector D in revision 3. |
| Unit of measure |
Percent (%) |
| Classifications |
International Standard Industrial Classification of all Economic Activities (ISIC) Revision 4 International Standard Industrial Classification of all Economic Activities (ISIC) Revision 3 |
| Data source type and collection method |
DATA SOURCE TYPE AND COLLECTION METHOD |
| Data sources |
Economic Survey |
| Data collection method |
Survey |
| Data collection calendar |
Annual |
| Data release calendar |
2024 |
| Data providers |
Establishments |
| Data compilers |
Kenya National Bureau of Statistics |
| Institutional mandate |
According to the Statistics Act of 2006, Kenya National Bureau of Statistics is mandated to collect, compile, analyze, publish and disseminate official statistics for public use |
| Rationale |
This indicator conveys the contribution of manufacturing in total employment. It measures the ability of the manufacturing sector to absorb surplus labour from agricultural and other traditional sectors. However, in developed countries an opposite trend is expected where emphasis has shifted to reduction in labor in manufacturing as part of cost-cutting measures, to promote more capital-intensive industries. |
| Comment and limitations |
The characteristics of the data source impact the international comparability of the data, especially in cases where the coverage of the source is less than comprehensive (either in terms of country territory or economic activities). In the absence of a labour force survey (the preferred source of data for this indicator), some countries may use an establishment survey to derive this indicator, but these usually have a minimum establishment size cut-off point and small units which are not officially registered (whether in manufacturing or not) would thus not be included in the survey. Consequently, employment data may be underestimated. Discrepancies can also be caused by differences in the definition of employment or the working–age population. |
| Method of computation |
Total employment in manufacturing activities /Total employment in all economic activities × 100 |
| Validation |
The KNBS engages Technical Working Groups whose membership is drawn from different sectors of National Statistical System (NSS) to validate the data |
| Methods and guidance available to countries for the compilation of the data at the national level |
ILO Guidebook - Decent Work and the Sustainable Development Goals: A Guidebook on SDG Labour Market Indicators, (https://www.ilo.org/stat/Publications/WCMS_647109/lang-- en/index.htm). - Decent Work Indicators Manual: http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---dgreports/--- stat/documents/publication/wcms_223121.pdf - Resolution concerning statistics of work, employment and labour underutilization, adopted by the 19th ICLS in 2013: https://www.ilo.org/global/statistics-and-databases/standards-andguidelines/resolutions-adopted-by-international-conferences-of-labourstatisticians/WCMS_230304/lang--en/index.htm – Resolution concerning statistics of the economically active population, employment, unemployment and underemployment, adopted by the ICLS in 1982: https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---dgreports/--- stat/documents/normative instrument/wcms_230304.pdf - International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities 2008. (https://unstats.un.org/unsd/publication/seriesm/seriesm_4rev4e.pdf). |
| Quality management |
The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics is ISO certified based on 9001:2015 Standard requirements. The processes of compilation, production, publication and dissemination of data, including quality control, are carried out following the methodological framework and standards established by the KNBS, in compliance with the Internationally acceptable standards. |
| Quality assurance |
The KNBS adheres to Kenya Statistical Quality Assurance Framework (KesQAF) that underlines principles to be assured in managing the statistical production processes and output. Data consistency and quality checks are conducted through Technical Working Groups (TWGs) before publication and dissemination. |
| Quality assessment |
The processes of compilation, production, publication and dissemination of data, including quality control are subjected to a set criteria and standards to ensure conformity. |
| Data availability and disaggregation |
The data is available on KNBS website |
| Comparability/deviation from international standards |
Sources of discrepancies: Work statistics for countries not using the same set of statistical standards are not comparable. As such, each series is based on a single set of standards (i.e., 13th or 19th ICLS) and contains only data comparable within and across countries, allowing data users to continue making meaningful time series analysis and international comparisons. Users should not compare data across series. Other differences may arise due to: a) discrepancies in data sources; b) ISIC Revision used by a country; c) informal employment; d) coverage of data source (geographical coverage, economic activities covered, types of establishments covered, etc.); e) working-age population definition. |
| References and Documentation |
http://statistics.knbs.or.ke/nada/index.php/catalog/88 |
| Metadata last updated | Aug 28, 2025 |