Migrants sent a record Sh94 trillion to families in low- and middle-income countries in 2025, with remittances nearly doubling over the past decade as people abroad sent more money home to support relatives.
A new report by the United Nations International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) shows that money sent home rose by 94 percent between 2016 and 2025, compared with a 28 percent increase in the number of migrants from low- and middle-income countries during the same period.
About 220 million migrants and members of the diaspora are estimated to support 1.1 billion relatives through remittances, making the funds an important source of income for families across developing countries.
“These transfers, known as remittances, grew by 94 percent between 2016 and 2025, far outpacing the 28 percent increase in the number of migrants from those countries,” IFAD said.
The organisation said the sharp rise in remittances was therefore not only linked to the growing number of people living abroad, but also to migrants sending larger amounts to their families.
The Sh94 trillion sent in 2025 was more than four times the amount provided through global official development assistance and also exceeded foreign direct investment flowing into low- and middle-income countries.
Pedro de Vasconcellos, who manages IFAD’s Financing Facility for Remittances, said the figures should be viewed beyond their monetary value because they directly affect families and their daily lives.
“This report is about financial flows of extraordinary scale. But more importantly, it is about families,” he maintained.
Most individual transfers range between $300 and $400, equivalent to about Sh38,700 and Sh51,600, with migrants sending money home roughly nine or 10 times every year.
Around three-quarters of the money is spent on immediate household needs such as food, shelter and utilities. The remaining quarter, estimated at more than Sh23.2 trillion annually, goes towards healthcare, education, housing, savings and businesses.
The report also highlighted the role of remittances in rural areas, with almost Sh30.1 trillion reaching rural economies in 2025. IFAD estimates that households receiving remittances invest about Sh2.84 trillion every year in rural agrifood systems.
Asia and the Pacific remained the biggest destination for the funds, receiving Sh49.7 trillion, or 53 percent of the global total.
Africa received Sh16 trillion, marking an 86 percent rise over the 10-year period, with Egypt replacing Nigeria as the continent’s largest recipient.
Latin America and the Caribbean recorded the fastest growth, with remittances rising by 132 percent to Sh21.7 trillion.
The United States remained the leading source of remittances to the region, leaving families dependent on the money exposed to changes such as deportations, employment restrictions and weaker demand for labour.
“Figures right now do not show actually a reduction in remittances,” de Vasconcellos said, noting that the needs of families can keep the flow of money resilient even during periods of crisis.
Kenya has also recorded strong growth in diaspora remittances, with Central Bank of Kenya data showing that the country received $5.037 billion, or about Sh649.8 billion, in 2025.
In the 12 months to June 2026, remittance inflows stood at about $4.96 billion, equivalent to Sh639.8 billion.
A 2025 household survey by the Central Bank of Kenya, Kenya National Bureau of Statistics and FSD Kenya found that Kenyan households received Sh931.8 billion in remittances between June 2024 and May 2025.
The United States accounted for 43.5 percent of the money received, while banks and mobile money platforms processed more than 92 percent of the inflows.
The survey further found that 22.3 percent of households considered remittances their main source of livelihood, showing the role money sent from abroad plays in supporting families in Kenya.
Despite their growing value, IFAD said remittances should not be treated as a replacement for public investment, social protection, humanitarian assistance or climate finance.
The report also pointed to the growing use of digital channels to send money. More than half of remittances now start digitally, although only 35 percent of measured services were fully digital from the sender to the recipient in 2025.
Digital transfers cost an average of 4.6 percent, compared with 7.3 percent for non-digital services, indicating that greater use of technology could help lower the cost of sending money home.