The Kenya International Investment Conference 2026  opens in Nairobi

The Kenya International Investment Conference 2026 kicked off today in Nairobi, bringing together global investors, policymakers and private sector leaders to explore new opportunities for business and partnership in Kenya.The three-day conference forms part of a broader investment platform that also features the 2nd COMESA Investment Forum and the Africa Green Industrialization Initiative (AGII) Forum

Addressing the forum during the opening ceremony, President William Ruto outlined sweeping reforms aimed at enhancing the ease of doing business, including aligning Export Processing Zones and Special Economic Zones into a transparent, investor-friendly framework, and fast-tracking key legislation such as the Business Laws Amendment Bill 2026 and the Invest Kenya Bill. He noted that the reforms are designed to create a unified investment framework, accelerate approvals and strengthen investor protection.

The President highlighted major infrastructure and development priorities, including expanded transport networks, the construction of at least 50 mega dams to boost water security and agriculture, and plans to triple energy generation to 10,000 megawatts to support industrial growth. He added that Kenya is mobilising long-term capital through the National Infrastructure Fund, with an estimated Sh5 trillion  required to drive the country’s transformation.

President Ruto also stressed Kenya’s strategic advantage as a gateway to the African Continental Free Trade Area market of 1.4 billion people, as well as its central role in regional blocs such as the East African Community and COMESA. He cited growing investor confidence, pointing to recent investments by global firms including Mars Wrigley and Coca-Cola, alongside new commitments across manufacturing, energy and agribusiness sectors.

Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, Musalia Mudavadi, underscored the importance of strategic investment in driving jobs, innovation and sustainable growth. He called on investors to leverage Kenya’s youthful population, strategic location and expanding policy framework to access opportunities across Africa.

Mudavadi also highlighted global economic uncertainties, including disruptions linked to conflicts in the Middle East, urging stronger partnerships to build resilience against external and domestic shocks. He identified priority sectors such as technology, manufacturing, energy, maritime and the blue economy, and green industrialisation as key drivers of Kenya’s future growth.

KIICO 2026 is expected to deliver key outcomes, including the signing of major investment deals and the announcement of policy measures aimed at improving the business environment and attracting high-value investments.

The forum is focusing on priority sectors critical to Kenya’s economic transformation, including agriculture, finance, economic zones and textiles, Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), as well as emerging areas such as e-mobility, clean cooking, renewable energy, waste management, mining and the creative economy.