Nairobi, March 15 -- Kenya's earnings from goods exported to African countries exceeded expenditure on imports by a record Sh164.04 billion in 2023, provisional data shows, boosting the government's renewed push for integration of markets on the continent.

The value of goods sold to other countries in the continent amounted to Sh431.89 billion last year, a growth of 22.99 percent over Sh351.16 billion the year before.

The increased earnings came at a time when expenditure on imports remained largely flat, rising a measly 0.31 percent to Sh267.86 billion, according to data collated by the Central Bank of Kenya.

The slimmest rise in the value of merchandise orders since the Covid-induced fall in 2020 helped nearly double (94.98 percent) ...