Kenya Targets Over $2 Billion in Deals at the Kenya International Investment Conference (KIICO) 2026

Kenya is ramping up efforts to attract large-scale foreign capital ahead of the Kenya International Investment Conference (KIICO) 2026, with the government targeting more than $2 billion (Ksh.258 billion) in new investment deals when global investors converge in Nairobi between March 25 and 27.

The three-day conference is expected to pull more than 500 high-level global investors and development partners from the US, UK, EU, China, and beyond to sign pacts across agriculture, textiles, ICT, green energy, mining, and creative jobs like music and film. 

Organised by the Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry through Kenya Investment Authority (Invest Kenya), KIICO 2026 will be held at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Upper Hill, Nairobi.

This year’s theme is “Unlocking investment opportunities to drive Kenya’s transformation.”

The forum aims to showcase bankable projects across priority sectors while reinforcing Kenya’s image of a stable, competitive and execution-focused economy.

According to Invest Kenya, the conference comes on the back of a strong investment performance in 2025, when the agency facilitated approximately $1.785 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) into sectors, including manufacturing, textiles and mining.

Officials say KIICO 2026 will build on this momentum by moving beyond dialogue to concrete deal-making.

“This is not a talk show,” said Abubakar Hassan Abubakar, Principal Secretary in the State Department for Investment Promotion, underscoring the government’s focus on tangible, revenue-generating projects rather than aspirational pledges.

Invest Kenya Chief Executive Officer John Mwendwa added that the conference is expected to result in 10 to 20 new signed investment agreements, translating into large-scale job creation and long-term capital inflows.

Key sectors to be highlighted at KIICO 2026 include agriculture and agro-processing, manufacturing, textiles and apparel, information and communications technology (ICT) and business process outsourcing (BPO), renewable energy, clean cooking, e-mobility, mining, waste management and the creative economy.

Economic zones and green industrialisation initiatives will also feature prominently, reflecting Kenya’s ambition to position itself within resilient global supply chains.

In a significant regional dimension, Kenya will concurrently host the 2nd COMESA Investment Forum on March 26 and the Africa Green Industrialisation Initiative (AGII) forum on March 27.

The alignment of the three events is intended to strengthen regional integration, mobilise climate-aligned capital and enhance cross-border investment flows within Eastern and Southern Africa.

Government officials have intensified diplomatic outreach ahead of the conference.

In February, Invest Kenya hosted ambassadors and senior envoys from key partner markets, including the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union and China, to mobilise investor delegations.

Cabinet Secretary for Investments, Trade and Industry Lee Kinyanjui told diplomats that Kenya offers political stability, improved infrastructure and strategic market access.

The conference also coincides with broader reforms aimed at improving Kenya’s ease of doing business.

Invest Kenya is set to roll out a Digital One-Stop Centre, allowing foreign investors to register businesses, obtain tax documentation, apply for work permits and secure approvals through a single online platform.

Experts say the system will significantly reduce bureaucratic delays and transaction costs.

Additionally, the government is pushing for the passage of the Business Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2025, ahead of the conference, a move expected to further enhance investor confidence by streamlining regulatory frameworks.

Kenya’s macroeconomic outlook adds to the optimism surrounding KIICO 2026.

The economy recorded a strong performance in 2025, buoyed by a bullish year at the Nairobi Securities Exchange, increased venture capital inflows and ongoing privatisation efforts, including plans around the Kenya Pipeline Company.

The International Monetary Fund has projected Kenya’s GDP growth at 4.9 per cent in 2026.

As Nairobi prepares to host the flagship investment forum, the success of KIICO 2026 will ultimately be measured not by attendance numbers but by the scale and quality of capital mobilised.

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