Nairobi, Kenya – Despite official trade records showing zero formal sugar imports from Somalia, a thriving illicit pipeline is funneling thousands of tonnes of repackaged sugar into Kenya, undermining local producers and exposing consumers to unregulated products.
Government data suggests that Kenya does not legally import sugar from its northeastern neighbour. Yet seizures along the Mandera, Wajir, and Garissa border points tell a different story. In recent months, Kenyan authorities have intercepted truckloads of sugar branded with counterfeit local labels such as “Butali” and “Diamond,” believed to have been smuggled from Somalia after being rerouted through the port of Kismayo. Investigators say the product often originates from Brazil or the Middle East, lands in Somalia duty-free, and is then transported across porous borders before being repackaged in informal mills to resemble legitimate Kenyan brands.
Security and trade analysts warn that the illegal trade is coordinated by well-organised networks involving transporters, corrupt officials, and cross-border brokers. A 2023 assessment by anti-counterfeit regulators estimated that over 2,000 tonnes of sugar enter Kenya monthly through unofficial routes, evading taxation and Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) inspections. Some of the contraband has been traced to markets in Nairobi, Isiolo, and Eldoret, where unsuspecting consumers purchase it at prices up to 20 percent lower than licensed alternatives.
The influx poses a direct threat to Kenya’s struggling sugar sector, which has repeatedly called for tighter border enforcement. Industry lobbyists argue that local millers cannot compete with untaxed contraband, while health officials warn that some seized consignments contained adulterants and lacked expiry labels.
The Kenyan government insists that it has intensified surveillance, but border residents say enforcement remains inconsistent. Until tighter controls are imposed, Somalia may continue to serve as the silent backdoor through which Kenya’s sugar shelves are being restocked.