How to leverage the ongoing East African Business and Investment Summit to grow your Enterprise

Nairobi is hosting the East African Business and Investment Summit and Expo (EABIS 2026), running between February 24 and 25, which gives businesses a chance to network and scale their businesses locally and across East Africa.

The event, organised by the East African Business Council (EABC), the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) and the East African Community (EAC) Secretariat, is expected to draw multiple stakeholders, including government leaders, business executives, investors and development partners from across the EAC and beyond.

The key agendas include discussing policy, showcasing innovations, exploring investment and trade opportunities, and building strategic networks that support economic integration and growth in the region.

Direct access to buyers and partners

One of the summit’s most practical tools for businesses is its structured business-to-business (B2B) matchmaking programme.

The forum seeks to pair importers, exporters and manufacturers across key regional value chains, such as textiles, leather and edible oils, with potential suppliers, distributors and buyers from within and outside the EAC.

The EAC said the summit will focus on sectors seen as critical to regional growth, including manufacturing, agribusiness, logistics, energy, infrastructure, and digital trade.

Exhibitions and B2B sessions are planned alongside panel discussions involving government and private-sector representatives.

For small and mid-sized enterprises (SMEs), EABIS 2026 also reduces the cost and time of finding credible partners in neighbouring markets such as Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi

Textile producers can link directly with fabric suppliers or machinery vendors, while edible oil processors can connect with seed suppliers and regional buyers seeking finished products.

The sessions are expected to move beyond networking into transaction-ready discussions.

Leveraging regional and continental trade reforms

The summit comes at a moment when businesses are under pressure to adapt to new trade rules and opportunities created by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the Tripartite Free Trade Area (FTA).

Panels focused on customs reform, digital trade, and non-tariff barriers are expected to offer clarity on how companies can reduce compliance costs and scale exports.

Firms that attend stand to gain early insights into regulatory changes, helping them position products and supply chains ahead of competitors.

For exporters, understanding evolving standards, certification requirements and digital customs systems could translate directly into faster market entry and lower operational risk.

Financing and investor linkages

Access to capital remains a major constraint for many East African enterprises.

EABIS 2026 brings financing opportunities closer to businesses by inviting and linking them to potential investors, lenders, and finance institutions such as the East African Development Bank and other development partners.

Businesses will have the opportunity to engage with financiers on tailored instruments for manufacturing, agro-processing, logistics, and digital services.

For growth-stage firms, these interactions can open doors to long-term financing, blended finance structures, or partnerships that support regional expansion.

Digital tools that reduce trade friction

Another key exhibition of the 2026 summit is the launch of new digital trade tools by the International Trade Centre (ITC).

Its Non-Tariff Measures Self-Assessment Tool is designed to help SMEs identify regulatory barriers before entering new markets and turn compliance into a competitive advantage.

For businesses unfamiliar with complex export requirements, this tool could provide the essential market research insights to cross-border expansion, reducing costly trial-and-error approaches and enabling firms to adhere to regulatory requirements.

Policy influence and visibility

Beyond deals, EABIS 2026 offers companies a rare chance to shape the policy environment in which they operate.

Recommendations from the summit will be captured in a communiqué endorsed by EAC ministers, feeding directly into regional policy discussions.

By participating in sector dialogues on manufacturing, digital innovation, SMEs and infrastructure, business leaders can raise operational bottlenecks, influence reform priorities and ensure private sector realities are reflected in policy decisions.

Stakes for Kenya’s Businesses and Economy

Kenya’s government has framed the summit as part of a broader push to restore investor confidence and position Nairobi as a regional business hub.

For local firms, hosting the event provides a home-market advantage: easier access to decision-makers, lower participation costs and greater visibility to regional and international investors.

For regional and international businesses, Nairobi offers a gateway to East Africa’s 300-million-plus consumer market, with the summit acting as a launchpad for partnerships that extend well beyond the two-day event.

As East Africa accelerates integration, EABIS 2026 presents businesses with a practical question: attend and shape opportunity, or watch competitors do it first.

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