Tim Unwin on Kenya’s rising middle class

Global Business

Tim Unwin on Kenya's rising middle class

More and more people there are making it into the middle class in Kenya.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics, some 20 million Kenyans fall into that category. That’s about 45 percent of the population, compared to the region overall, where the average is less than 23 percent.

A recent Brookings Institution report says the growth of this segment presents an opportunity for social and economic growth by advancing social progress and pushing for institutional reform.

In addition middle class purchasing power contributes to the retail and housing sector, drives entrepreneurship and innovation, and attracts investors.

CCTV America’s Rachelle Akuffo spoke to Tim Unwin, UNESCO Chair in ICT4D, and Emeritus Professor of Geography at Royal Holloway, University of London, about the growth of the Kenyan middle class.