Annual patent applications in Kenya
Kenya: Annual patent applications was 160 in 2021. ◆ Volatile
Annual patent applications in Kenya, 1988–2021
Source: World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for annual patent applications in Kenya is 160, measured in 2021.
The figure is down 53.1% on the previous year and up 18.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual patent applications in Kenya peaked at 341 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 1, in 1988.
That places Kenya 61st out of 135 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Annual patent applications in Kenya, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1988 | 1 | — |
| 1991 | 8 | +700.0% |
| 1993 | 14 | +75.0% |
| 1996 | 15 | +7.1% |
| 1997 | 22 | +46.7% |
| 1998 | 27 | +22.7% |
| 1999 | 25 | -7.4% |
| 2002 | 23 | -8.0% |
| 2003 | 22 | -4.3% |
| 2004 | 31 | +40.9% |
| 2005 | 34 | +9.7% |
| 2006 | 41 | +20.6% |
| 2007 | 41 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 63 | +53.7% |
| 2009 | 48 | -23.8% |
| 2010 | 77 | +60.4% |
| 2011 | 135 | +75.3% |
| 2012 | 123 | -8.9% |
| 2013 | 127 | +3.3% |
| 2014 | 132 | +3.9% |
| 2015 | 137 | +3.8% |
| 2016 | 144 | +5.1% |
| 2017 | 135 | -6.2% |
| 2018 | 244 | +80.7% |
| 2019 | 294 | +20.5% |
| 2020 | 341 | +16.0% |
| 2021 | 160 | -53.1% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 160 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 47, 3.4× the median. (22 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 160 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 8, 20.0× the median. (18 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Annual patent applications in Kenya changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | +700.0% | 1 | 8 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1990s | 18.5 | 8 | 27 | 6 |
| 2000s | 37.88 | 22 | 63 | 8 |
| 2010s | 154.8 | 77 | 294 | 10 |
| 2020s | 250.5 | 160 | 341 | 2 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
More science & technology data for Kenya
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 126.48 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.26 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per unit of GDP 0.0006 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, gaps filled 71.38 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 114.91 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate 4.86 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 6.94 % change on previous year (2024)
- Scientific and technical journal articles 2,079 (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per capita 0 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual patent applications in Kenya?
- Annual patent applications in Kenya was 160 in 2021, according to World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual patent applications recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 341 in 2020.
- What is the lowest annual patent applications recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 1 in 1988.
- How does Kenya rank for annual patent applications?
- Kenya ranks 61st out of 135 countries with data for 2021.
- Is annual patent applications rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 18.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Kenya data come from?
- The figures come from World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual patent applications. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 27 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).