Scrap metal prices per kg in Kenya
| Scrap type | Price (KES) | Change | Global reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Non-ferrous (per kg) | |||
| Copper Scrap | KSh 1,392 / kg | ▲ +1.22% | $5.81 / lb |
| Aluminum Scrap | KSh 208 / kg | ▲ +1.16% | $0.87 / lb |
| Brass Scrap | KSh 848 / kg | ▲ +1.14% | $3.54 / lb |
| Stainless Steel Scrap | KSh 137 / kg | ▲ +0.00% | $0.57 / lb |
| Lead Scrap | KSh 141 / kg | ▲ +0.00% | $0.59 / lb |
| Zinc Scrap | KSh 216 / kg | ▲ +0.00% | $0.90 / lb |
| Battery Scrap | KSh 55 / kg | ▲ +0.00% | $0.23 / lb |
| Radiator Scrap | KSh 800 / kg | ▲ +1.21% | $3.34 / lb |
| Wire Scrap | KSh 673 / kg | ▲ +1.44% | $2.81 / lb |
| Cable Scrap | KSh 448 / kg | ▲ +1.08% | $1.87 / lb |
| Electronic Scrap | KSh 192 / kg | ▲ +1.27% | $0.80 / lb |
| Ferrous and bulk (per tonne) | |||
| Steel Scrap | KSh 35,941 / tonne | ▲ +0.00% | $300 / ton |
| Iron Scrap | KSh 31,628 / tonne | ▲ +0.00% | $264 / ton |
| Car Scrap | KSh 43,129 / tonne | ▲ +0.00% | $360 / ton |
| Cast Iron | KSh 34,503 / tonne | ▲ +0.00% | $288 / ton |
Indicative dealer prices for clean, sorted scrap. Global reference is the US board in US dollars; the Kenya figure applies the exchange rate (1 USD = 129.38 KES) and a local market factor of 0.84.
Dealers quote in Kenyan shillings per kilogram. Prices here are derived from the exchange settlement, converted to shillings, and adjusted by a market factor of 0.84, our assessment of a market where licensing costs, restricted operating conditions and uncertainty over export access all sit between the seller and the international price. That factor is published on the editorial policy page and is open to challenge. Independent reporting on the illicit end of the trade has put collector-level prices at roughly a quarter to a third of a US dollar per kilogram for common ferrous scrap, which gives a sense of how far the bottom of this chain sits below any published reference.
Kenya scrap price chart (KES)
Daily open, high, low and close for the most traded scrap metals in KES per kg or per tonne. Scroll to zoom and drag to move along the timeline.
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Copper scrap prices by grade in Kenya
Copper is not one price. Yards grade it by cleanliness, coating and gauge, and the spread from the top grade to the bottom runs 25 to 35 percent. These are the same grades used on export contracts, converted to KES.
The scrap market in Kenya
Kenya is the only market on this site where the scrap trade was stopped outright. On 20 January 2022 the government imposed a national ban on both the local trade and the export of scrap metal and scrap batteries, after sustained vandalism of public infrastructure: transformers, transmission lines, road furniture and railway components stripped for their metal. The ban was not a licensing tightening. It closed the trade. Yards shut, traders protested, and stock sat unsold for months.
It reopened on 1 May 2022, and only for licensed dealers. That distinction still defines the market. In most countries an unlicensed buyer is operating outside the rules; in Kenya, dealing in scrap without a licence carries a fine of up to KSh 10 million or three years' imprisonment. Licences are issued by the Scrap Metal Council under the Scrap Metal Act 2015, applicants are vetted by multi-agency teams in each county, and renewal requires both a valid certificate of good conduct and a tax compliance certificate. The council may also specify which types of scrap a particular licensee may handle, so a licence is not a general permission.
- Currency
- Kenyan shilling (KES)
- Units
- Kilogram
- Market factor
- 0.84 (our assessment, published on the editorial policy page)
- Regulator
- Scrap Metal Council, under the Scrap Metal Act 2015
- Key dates
- Trade banned 20 January 2022; reopened for licensed dealers 1 May 2022
The most valuable scrap by weight in Kenya today: Copper at KSh 1,392 per kg, Brass at KSh 848 per kg, Radiator at KSh 800 per kg, Wire at KSh 673 per kg, Cable at KSh 448 per kg.
Selling scrap metal in Kenya: rules, ID and payment
The framework is the Scrap Metal Act 2015 and the Scrap Metal Rules 2022 made after the ban. Several of the conditions have no equivalent in other markets on this site. A licensed dealer must carry a certified copy of both their own licence and the recipient's licence in any vehicle transporting scrap metal, so the paperwork travels with the load rather than staying at the yard. Transport is confined to prescribed hours, reported as 6.30am to 6pm. Scrap taken from critical national infrastructure is not tradeable at all: it is directed to designated state facilities for smelting into billets. Penalties for repeat export offences under the 2022 Rules run to fines in the region of thirteen million shillings and five years' imprisonment. One point is genuinely unsettled in the public record: some accounts state that the April 2022 decision ended the export prohibition along with the domestic one, while others report that local trade reopened with the export ban left in place. Anyone exporting rather than selling domestically should confirm the current position with the Scrap Metal Council directly rather than rely on secondary reporting, including this page.
Before you sell
- Ask to see the dealer's Scrap Metal Council licence. Unlicensed dealing carries a fine of up to KSh 10 million or three years in prison, and that exposure is not only the buyer's.
- Expect the licence copy to be in the vehicle if your metal is collected. Carrying certified copies of both licences in transit is a rule, not a courtesy.
- Do not sell anything that came from public infrastructure. Transformers, transmission line, rail and road components are the reason the trade was shut down, and that material is directed to state smelting rather than the open market.
- Plan collection and delivery inside the prescribed transport hours; loads moving outside them attract attention for good reason.
- If you are exporting rather than selling locally, confirm the current export position with the Scrap Metal Council before committing to a shipment.
Scrap prices by city in Kenya
City pages carry local yard prices and directories for the main scrap markets. Pages that are not live yet are shown without a link.
Scrap yards in Kenya
Find a yard by region or city, or use your location to see the nearest. Every listing shows where its details came from and when they were checked.
Yard listings for Kenya are being added from official dealer registers and trade directories. Nothing is published until it has been verified against a named source, which is why this section is not yet populated.
Kenya scrap price FAQ
Is it legal to sell scrap metal in Kenya?
Yes, but only to a licensed dealer. The trade was banned nationally on 20 January 2022 and reopened on 1 May 2022 for licensed traders only. Selling your own metal does not require a licence; buying it as a business does.
Why was scrap metal banned in Kenya in 2022?
Vandalism of public infrastructure. Transformers, transmission lines, road furniture and railway components were being stripped for scrap, and the government closed the trade rather than tightening it. The Kenya Roads Board set aside billions of shillings in 2022 to replace vandalised road barriers, poles, lights and bridges.
What happens to a dealer trading without a licence?
A fine of up to KSh 10 million or up to three years' imprisonment. Under the Scrap Metal Rules 2022, repeat offences involving unlawful export attract substantially heavier penalties again, reported in the region of thirteen million shillings and five years.
Who issues scrap metal licences in Kenya?
The Scrap Metal Council, established under the Scrap Metal Act 2015. Applications are vetted by multi-agency teams at county level, and renewal requires a valid certificate of good conduct and a tax compliance certificate. The council can also restrict which types of scrap a licensee may handle.
Can scrap metal be exported from Kenya?
The public record is not consistent on this. Some accounts of the April 2022 decision describe the export prohibition as ended along with the domestic ban; others report the domestic trade reopening while the export ban remained. Confirm the current position directly with the Scrap Metal Council before arranging any shipment.
Are there restrictions on when scrap can be transported?
Yes. Transport of scrap metal is confined to prescribed hours, reported as 6.30am to 6pm, and a certified copy of both the dealer's licence and the recipient's licence must be carried in the vehicle. The documentation travels with the load.
What happens to metal taken from public infrastructure?
It is not tradeable. Scrap originating from critical national infrastructure is directed to designated state facilities for smelting into billets rather than sold on the open market, which is the direct answer to the vandalism that caused the ban.
Why are Kenyan scrap prices so far below the international reference?
Licensing costs, county vetting, restricted transport hours and documentation obligations all sit between a seller and the world price, and uncertainty about export access removes the competing bid an exporter would otherwise make. Reporting on the illicit end of the chain has put collector-level prices at roughly a quarter to a third of a dollar per kilogram, which shows how wide that gap becomes at the bottom.
Sources and methodology
Prices on this page start from the global reference board (US dollars per pound or per ton), are multiplied by a Kenya market factor of 0.84 that reflects local demand, freight and trade rules, and are converted to KES at 1 USD = 129.38 and to metric units (kilograms and tonnes). The board refreshes daily, with the time of the latest update shown at the top of the page.
Reference sources
- Scrap Metal Act 2015 and Scrap Metal Rules 2022, Kenya Law
- Ministry of Industrialisation, Trade and Enterprise Development statements, April 2022, reported by Capital FM and The Standard
- Institute for Security Studies and ENACT Africa, on scrap metal smuggling and infrastructure vandalism in East Africa
- Recycling Today, on the Scrap Metal Council and the pace of licensing under the 2015 Act
Prices are indicative and for information only; they are not offers to buy or sell. Actual yard prices depend on grade, quantity, location and the buyer. Spotted an error? Tell us and we will check it against our sources.