Copper waste and scrap has emerged as Kenya’s largest export to China, reshaping the country’s trade profile following the shutdown of titanium mining in Kwale and stricter controls on raw ore exports.
Figures from Kenya National Bureau of Statistics show that Kenya exported copper scrap worth Sh4.6 billion to China in the first nine months of 2025, already exceeding the Sh3.24 billion recorded for the whole of 2024. The trade has expanded rapidly from Sh1.18 billion in 2023 and just Sh303.46 million in 2022, pushing copper scrap ahead of traditional exports such as tea, coffee, and mineral ores in shipments to the Asian market.
Quarterly data indicates exports of Sh1.66 billion in the first quarter of 2025, Sh1.68 billion in the second quarter, before easing to Sh1.26 billion in the third quarter.
The rise of copper scrap exports coincides with the closure of titanium operations in Kwale by Base Resources, whose subsidiary Base Titanium ended mining activities earlier this year. Titanium exports to China had peaked at Sh12.06 billion in 2022 before falling steadily as operations were wound down. China had long been a major buyer of Kenya’s titanium minerals, including ilmenite, rutile, and zircon.
With titanium exports dwindling, copper scrap has filled the gap, reflecting China’s growing reliance on recycled raw materials amid global shortages of refined copper. Patrick Kanyoro, chair of the Kenya Chamber of Mines, attributed the trend to both policy changes and structural weaknesses in Kenya’s mining sector. He said the government’s ban on exporting raw copper ore, aimed at promoting local value addition, alongside rising Chinese demand for scrap metal, has driven the shift.
Also Read: NSSF Outlines Sh30bn Mixed-Use Redevelopment for Nairobi CBD
However, Kanyoro noted that while the policy objective is sound, implementation has lagged. He said local miners face slow and uneven licensing processes for value addition, often skewed in favour of large foreign firms. Copper was designated a strategic mineral in 2023, placing it under the oversight of the State-run National Mining Corporation, a move tied to lifting a long-standing moratorium on mining licences.
Industry players say uncertainty remains over the minimum level of processing required before exports are approved, highlighting gaps in the regulatory framework.
The surge in copper scrap exports has also raised concerns about vandalism of public infrastructure. Kenya Power has repeatedly linked the scrap trade to the theft of electricity equipment. Its chief executive has warned that vandalism surged after a previous ban on scrap exports was lifted, citing hundreds of destroyed transformers and losses running into hundreds of millions of shillings, excluding wider economic disruptions.
