Kenya Overtakes Nigeria as Africa’s Leading Importer of Second-Hand Clothes
Kenya has surpassed Nigeria to become Africa’s largest importer of second-hand clothing, according to trade data compiled by the United States-based Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
The data indicates that Kenya imported used clothing worth Sh38.5 billion ($298 million) in 2023, marking a 12.45 percent increase from the previous year.
The surge underscores Kenya’s increasing dependence on affordable second-hand garments, locally known as “mitumba.” These imports include a wide range of items such as underwear, dresses, shirts, trousers, jackets, shoes, bedding, towels, and curtains.
An analysis from MIT’s Observatory of Economic Complexity reveals that in 2022, Kenya’s imports of second-hand clothes and textiles were valued at Sh34.5 billion ($265 million), nearly matching Nigeria’s imports for the same period. South Africa ranked third with imports worth Sh33.76 billion ($261 million).
In 2021, South Africa led the continent in used clothing imports, but restrictions limiting these imports—except for specific uses such as manufacturing industrial wiping rags or donations to registered charities—have since reduced the country’s ranking in the trade.
In 2023, Ghana emerged as the second-largest importer of second-hand clothes, bringing in Sh30.4 billion worth of goods. South Africa followed at Sh29.4 billion, Uganda at Sh27.2 billion, and Nigeria at Sh27 billion.
Despite Nigeria’s significantly larger population and an official ban on used clothing imports, Kenya has taken the lead in the trade. The shift is partly attributed to recent tax policy changes, including the removal of import declaration fees (IDF) and the railway development levy (RDL).
These measures have made it easier to import second-hand clothing, a move that has drawn criticism from manufacturers who argue that it weakens the local textile industry.
The post Kenya Overtakes Nigeria as Africa’s Leading Importer of Second-Hand Clothes appeared first on Kano Times.
