Once referred to as a beacon of hope for multinational corporations seeking growth in Africa, Kenya has now experienced a mass exodus of global companies over the past year.
With most of these firms exiting the Kenyan market for various reasons, key among them are high taxes, a depreciating currency (the shilling), and rising operational costs.
This has left a heavy aftermath in the country, with hundreds of job losses, raising alarm among economists, policymakers, and the general populace.
Some companies closed down operations at the start of 2025, while others exited the market completely in 2026. Here, Times Digital Kenya lists some of the international companies that shut down operations in the country within the past year.
Koko Networks
At the beginning of 2026, Koko Networks, known for providing clean energy to millions of homes, shut down its operations in Kenya. This left many facing a return to more traditional and expensive fuels such as charcoal and kerosene.
One of the major reasons for Koko’s exit from the Kenyan market was a severe financial crisis caused by a regulatory standoff with the government over carbon credit approvals.
CMC Motors Group
Despite its restructuring and transformation in 2023, CMC Motors Group announced its exit from the Kenyan market in early 2025.
Some of the main factors that pushed it out of the Kenyan market include rising operating costs, unsustainable economic conditions, and currency depreciation.
With its exit, the company laid off staff and closed its branches not only in Kenya but also across East Africa, including Uganda and Tanzania.
Caltex
Having been acquired by Total Kenya in 2009, Caltex had around 165 service stations in Kenya, many of which were subsequently rebranded under the Total name.
Unfortunately, the Registrar of Companies dissolved the company through a gazette notice on October 31, 2025, primarily due to a strategic acquisition by Total Kenya.
D.T. Dobie
After 76 years of operating in Kenya, D.T. Dobie had become a prominent brand name in the country’s automotive industry.
However, in late 2025, the company exited the market after an official notice revealed that it was ceasing operations in the country. Some of the major factors behind its closure include voluntary liquidation, restructuring, and asset transfer.
Bank Al-Habib
Bank Al-Habib Limited (BAHL) closed its representative office in Kenya, effective May 15, 2025. Some of the main reasons for its exit from the Kenyan market include strategic global restructuring, rationalization of foreign operations, and limitations of the representative office’s functions.
