Copper waste and scrap is now Kenya’s single largest export to China, marking a shift in the country’s export structure following closure of titanium mines in Kwale and tighter controls on raw ore exports.
Data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) shows that Kenya exported copper waste and scrap worth Sh4.6 billion to China in the first nine months of 2025, surpassing the Sh3.24 billion shipments recorded for the whole of 2024.
