Corporate gifting in Kenya is evolving. While physical items—pens, mugs, bags—will always be cherished, one segment is growing exceptionally fast: gift cards and incentive cards. As businesses shift to more flexible, digital, and choice-based ways of rewarding employees and delighting customers, gift cards are emerging as a top strategy. In this post, we’ll explore recent data on Kenya’s gift card market, why companies should pay attention, and how to incorporate gift cards into your corporate gifting mix to get max value.
1. Kenya Gift Card Market at a Glance
-
In 2024, the gift card & incentive card market in Kenya was valued at roughly US$400 million, and it is forecasted to grow to about US$700 million by 2028.
-
The compound annual growth rate (CAGR) is estimated at around 11-12% over the next few years.
-
Demand is being driven by growth in e-commerce, use of digital gifting, remote or hybrid workforces, and companies wanting easier, less logistically heavy gifts.
2. Why Businesses Prefer Gift Cards
| Benefit | What It Offers Compared to Physical Gifts |
|---|---|
| Flexibility for recipient | They choose what they want; avoids risk of mismatch or items going unused. |
| Scalable & easier logistics | No bulk packaging, fewer issues of shipping heavy items, less inventory risk. |
| Digital/incentive friendly | Can integrate with employee rewards platforms, remote teams, or partner merchants. |
| Cost-efficient for certain use cases | Especially when cost of storage, branding, shipping of physical items is high. |
| Supports modern gifting trends | Aligns with personalization, eco-friendly gifting (less waste), and digital culture. |
3. Where Gift Cards Fit in Your Gifting Strategy
- As part of hybrid gift bundles: Pair a physical branded item (e.g. notebook, mug, or pen) with a gift card. That gives both brand visibility and choice.
- For remote teams or virtual events: If you want to reward employees or clients who are not physically present, digital or physical gift cards are one of the best tools.
- When deadlines are tight: Gift cards can be deployed quickly compared to ordering branded physical items and waiting for production/branding/shipping.
- To reduce waste: Since gift cards avoid unused, unwanted items, they help with sustainability goals.
4. Things to Consider When Using Gift Cards
- Merchant & redemption options: Choose gift cards that have good range of merchants / services; ensure redeemability and reliability.
- Branding & presentation: Even gift cards can be made special—custom packaging, branded envelopes, or accompanying notes can elevate the experience.
- Value regulation & corporate tax: Be aware of tax rules around gifts/incentives in Kenya, and how value is viewed if it counts as benefit in kind.
- Expiration & fees: Some cards have expiry or inactivity fees—ensure recipients are not disadvantaged.
Digital security: For digital gift cards, secure delivery, verification, and fraud prevention are important.
5. Combining Gift Cards with Physical Products
Given your product catalogue (notebooks, drinkware, pens, apparel, etc.), you can create gift sets or bundles that combine a physical item with a gift card. For example:
- A branded travel mug + a ₵KSh (or USD equivalent) gift card for a coffee shop.
- A high-quality notebook with name engraving + a gift card for an online course or a wellness subscription.
- Employee welcome kits: custom apparel items + small gift card to allow customizing an accessory.
The growth of Kenya’s gift card market is not just a statistic—it signals a shift in what recipients want (choice, convenience, less waste) and what companies can offer in response. If your corporate gifting strategy is heavy only on physical goods, adding gift cards or hybrid gifting bundles can improve satisfaction, reduce logistical challenges, and align with modern CSR and ESG standards.
At Kanatech Shop, we offer both physical branded gifts and can help you include gift card/incentive-card options. Contact us to explore gift bundles or get quotes for gift cards that work best for your team or clients.
