Kenya is losing a staggering KSh800 billion annually an amount equivalent to nearly 9% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) due to the proliferation of counterfeit goods, according to data released by the Anti-Counterfeit Authority (ACA).
The economic drain is not only straining the country's financial health but also costing Kenyans 44,000 jobs each year.
This comes at a critical time as Kenya faces a record KSh835.1 billion budget deficit in its proposed 2025/26 national budget.
Alarmingly, a significant portion of this fiscal shortfall has been linked to tax revenue lost to counterfeit products that evade government oversight and regulation.
