Kenya does grow oilseeds and has a local edible-oil industry, but the country's import bill tells a much bigger story. Palm oil is by far the heavyweight. In 2024, Kenya imported 793,539 tonnes of palm-oil products , according to the Agriculture and Food Authority, much of it used as raw material for edible-oil processing and is imported through a network of edible oil importers in Kenya . Sunflower and soybean oil imports were considerably smaller, but they remain part of the country's supply mix.
The sourcing is also quite concentrated. Malaysia supplied most of Kenya's crude palm oil and palm-oil fractions, while Indonesia supplied the balance in large quantities. Sunflower oil comes through a different network, with Ukraine featuring strongly in crude sunflower-oil imports.
For companies looking for edible oil importers in Kenya , that is probably the first thing to understand. A large part of the market is not about importing finished bottles. It is about bringing bulk oil into Kenya, refining it, blending it, packing it and then sending it into the country's retail and food-service channels.
The 2024 figures give a fairly clear picture of where the market sits:
| Edible Oil / Product | 2024 Import Quantity | 2024 Import Value | Major Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palm oil products - crude and finished | 793,539 tonnes | KES 108.80 billion | Malaysia, Indonesia and other Asian suppliers |
| Crude palm oil - HS 151110 | 666.23 million kg | $684.16 million | Malaysia, Indonesia |
| Palm oil other than crude - HS 151190 | 208.53 million kg | $220.96 million | Malaysia, Indonesia, Tanzania, South Africa |
| Sunflower oil - AFA category | 8,949 tonnes | KES 1.32 billion | Various suppliers |
| Crude sunflower/safflower oil - HS 151211 | 7.61 million kg | $7.87 million | Ukraine, Egypt, Bulgaria, Uganda |
| Soybean oil - AFA category | 6,546 tonnes | KES 1.63 billion | Various suppliers |
| Soybean oil & fractions - HS 1507 | 9.51 million kg | $19.72 million | U.S., Uganda, Rwanda, Italy, Egypt |
Sources: Agriculture and Food Authority Yearbook of Statistics 2025; World Bank WITS / UN Comtrade.
The palm-oil numbers are on another scale altogether. Malaysia alone supplied Kenya with about 577.35 million kg of crude palm oil in 2024, worth nearly $594 million . Indonesia supplied another 88.85 million kg.
There is a similar Malaysian presence in the non-crude category. Kenya imported around 201.03 million kg of palm oil and liquid fractions from Malaysia, against a total of 208.53 million kg for the category.
Sunflower oil follows a very different route. Ukraine supplied nearly 6.95 million kg of crude sunflower/safflower oil to Kenya in 2024, accounting for most of the country's imports in that category.
So if you put palm, sunflower and soybean oil next to each other, Kenya's import pattern is quite easy to spot: palm oil dominates the bulk trade, while the other oils fill more specialised parts of the market.
Kenya's local oilseed production does not provide everything the country's processors need. Palm oil is the obvious example because there is no comparable domestic palm-oil production base. Large quantities therefore arrive from Southeast Asia before moving into Kenya's refining and manufacturing network.
And there is a sizeable industry on the other side of those imports.
Bidco Africa has been operating in the African FMCG market for more than three decades and has edible oils among its core product categories. Its business stretches beyond cooking oil into food, hygiene and personal-care products as well.
Kapa Oil Refineries is another established Kenyan name. It manufactures edible oils, cooking fats and margarine, with products ranging from palm-based vegetable oils to sunflower and corn oil. Some of its products are available in both consumer and bulk packs.
Then there is Pwani Oil Products , based in Mombasa. The company's operations cover edible oils and other consumer products, putting it close to the country's main maritime entry point for bulk commodities.
Kenya also has a regional role to play. Imported oil does not necessarily stop at the refinery gate or supermarket shelf. Processed edible oils can move into neighbouring East African markets, which adds another layer to the demand for bulk raw material.
| HS Code | Product |
|---|---|
| 150710 | Crude soybean oil |
| 150790 | Soybean oil other than crude |
| 151110 | Crude palm oil |
| 151190 | Palm oil other than crude and its fractions |
| 151211 | Crude sunflower/safflower oil |
| 151219 | Sunflower/safflower oil other than crude |
| 151321 | Crude palm-kernel or babassu oil |
| 151329 | Palm-kernel or babassu oil other than crude |
Sources: Kenya Bureau of Standards; World Bank WITS / UN Comtrade.
The buyer side is fairly concentrated around companies that actually process, refine or distribute edible oils.
Bidco Africa is one of the better-known names in the Kenyan market. Kapa Oil Refineries is another, with a long-running manufacturing operation and a product range covering vegetable oils, cooking fats and margarine. Pwani Oil Products is also worth watching, particularly because of its Mombasa base.
There are smaller and more specialised businesses around them too. Giloil Company appears in Kenya Bureau of Standards records for edible vegetable oils and fats, while Edible Oil Products Limited has KEBS quality marks for fortified edible oils and edible fat.
| Buyer / Company | Relevant Product / Category | Trade Relevance |
|---|---|---|
| Bidco Africa | Edible oils and fats | Major Kenyan FMCG and edible-oil producer |
| Kapa Oil Refineries Ltd | Palm, sunflower, corn and vegetable oils | Edible-oil refiner and manufacturer |
| Pwani Oil Products Ltd | Edible oils and consumer products | Major coastal-based Kenyan manufacturer |
| Giloil Company Ltd | Vegetable oils and edible fats | Kenyan edible-oil producer |
| Edible Oil Products Ltd | Fortified edible oils and fats | Local edible-oil manufacturer |
| Kapa Oil / regional distributors | Bulk and packaged edible oils | Distribution network across Kenya and East Africa |
Sources: Company websites and Kenya Bureau of Standards records.
The names above are useful when building a buyer list, but they should not be mistaken for confirmed current requirements. Some companies manufacture their own brands, some source raw material for refining, and others may purchase through established trading relationships.
That difference becomes important in Kenya because the market has a strong refining and distribution layer. A supplier offering crude palm oil is approaching a very different buyer from one offering refined sunflower oil in consumer-ready packaging.
Port of Mombasa: Mombasa is the main maritime gateway for Kenya's imported edible oil. The port's surrounding logistics network includes dedicated liquid-bulk infrastructure for vegetable and palm oil. Bulkstream, for example, operates 45,000 MT of edible-oil storage at Mombasa and moves oil onward to its 35,000 MT liquid-bulk facility in Embakasi by rail.
Embakasi Inland Container Depot / Liquid Bulk Terminal: Nairobi's Embakasi logistics zone is important once the oil has moved inland. Bulkstream's facility there is connected to the Mombasa operation by the Standard Gauge Railway, giving bulk importers another route into the country's main industrial and consumption centre.
Lamu Port: Lamu provides Kenya with another deep-water maritime gateway, although Mombasa remains much more closely associated with the country's established edible-oil import and storage infrastructure.
For bulk edible oil, the port is only part of the calculation. The location of the refinery, tank farm or manufacturing plant can determine whether the cargo stays near Mombasa or moves inland towards Nairobi and beyond.
Kenya has specific standards for edible oils, and the requirements are not something an exporter should leave until the shipment reaches Mombasa. KEBS maintains separate standards for palm, sunflower and soybean oils, alongside the broader KS EAS 769:2019 standard for fortified edible oils and fats.
Food Safety: Imported edible oil needs to comply with the relevant Kenya Standards. KEBS can inspect and test imports, and products that fail the applicable standards may be refused for sale in Kenya.
Food Standards: Kenya has specific standards for individual oils, including edible palm oil, edible sunflower oil and edible soybean oil . The buyer and supplier should establish the applicable specification before shipment.
Labelling: Retail-packed edible oil needs to comply with Kenya's food and product-marking requirements. Where applicable, imported products also fall under the Import Standardization Mark system administered by KEBS.
Import Inspection: Regulated imports can require a Certificate of Conformity through the PVoC system , and KEBS maintains procedures for conformity assessment and inspection.
Documentation: Kenya's current customs requirements include documents such as the commercial invoice, customs declaration and, where applicable, a Certificate of Conformity and Import Standardization Mark. Since July 2025, Kenya has also required a Certificate of Origin for imported consignments, subject to specified exceptions and transitional measures.
For bulk oil, it is worth getting all of this settled before loading. The Kenyan buyer will normally know which standard applies to the product, what certification is needed and where the cargo is going once it reaches the country.
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This content is for general informational purposes and is based on the trade, company and regulatory information provided in the source material. The listed companies are potential buyer leads and should not be treated as confirmation of current purchasing requirements. Exporters should independently verify buyer demand, applicable standards, documentation and commercial terms before shipment.
Kenya imported 793,539 tonnes of palm-oil products in 2024. Crude palm oil alone accounted for 666.23 million kg, valued at $684.16 million.
Malaysia and Indonesia are the main suppliers. Malaysia supplied about 577.35 million kg of crude palm oil in 2024, while Indonesia supplied another 88.85 million kg.
The source highlights Bidco Africa, Kapa Oil Refineries, Pwani Oil Products, Giloil Company and Edible Oil Products Ltd.
Mombasa is the main maritime gateway, with dedicated liquid-bulk infrastructure for vegetable and palm oil. Nairobi's Embakasi logistics zone is also important for inland distribution.
Imported oils need to comply with applicable Kenya Standards. Requirements can include KEBS conformity assessment, inspection, labelling, commercial documentation, a Certificate of Conformity where applicable and a Certificate of Origin subject to the stated exceptions and transitional measures.
Kenya also imports sunflower and soybean oil. In 2024, crude sunflower/safflower oil imports were about 7.61 million kg, while soybean oil and fractions reached 9.51 million kg under HS 1507.
