Kenya opens its largest-ever international investment conference this week, targeting $2 billion in signed deals across agriculture, ICT, renewable energy, mining, and manufacturing. The Kenya International Investment Conference (KIICO) 2026, running March 25-27 in Nairobi, brings together over 700 delegates from more than 30 countries alongside two concurrent events: the 2nd COMESA Investment Forum and the Africa Green Industrialisation Initiative (AGII) Forum. For contractors, consultants, and suppliers serving Africa, this three-day sequence signals a significant wave of procurement opportunities across Eastern and Southern Africa's fastest-growing economies.
The Conference: Three Events, One Week
KIICO 2026 represents three distinct but interconnected investment platforms hosted at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Nairobi's Upper Hill district, each with its own procurement implications.
Day 1 (March 25) features the main KIICO conference, including a presidential plenary with deal signings, keynote addresses, and sector-specific side events covering agriculture, finance, mining, economic zones, and textiles. Kenya's President William Ruto is patron of the event, and opening ceremonies will include the formal signing of 10 to 20 pre-negotiated investment deals worth over $2 billion collectively.
Day 2 (March 26) hosts the 2nd COMESA Investment Forum (CIF26), organized by the COMESA Regional Investment Agency. Representatives from 17 COMESA member states will discuss cross-border investment, regional value chains, and progress toward the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The forum features B2B matchmaking sessions designed to connect investors with project developers across the region.
Day 3 (March 27) is dedicated to the Africa Green Industrialisation Initiative (AGII) Forum, focusing on renewable energy, e-mobility, clean cooking, and waste management investment opportunities. The day also includes site visits to active projects and the Invest Kenya Golf Open.
Key speakers include Dr. Jean-Luc Stalon (UNDP Resident Representative), Satoshi Hamano (Senior Representative, JICA), and Nyamolo Abagi (Director, Africa at CLASP), alongside sector experts and investment promotion officials from across the COMESA region.
Kenya's $2 Billion Target: Not a Talk Shop
The headline $2 billion target reflects over 12 to 18 months of structured deal preparation, according to John Mwendwa, CEO of Kenya Investment Authority (InvestKenya). These are not spontaneous pledges but bankable, advanced-stage investment commitments that have already undergone due diligence.
Kenya's FDI trajectory supports the ambition. The country attracted $1.5 billion in FDI in 2022, rising to $1.88 billion in 2023. The 2025 figure is expected to exceed $2 billion even before KIICO announcements. Through its trade architecture, Kenya provides access to a combined market worth $75 trillion in GDP, spanning the East African Community, COMESA, AfCFTA, the EU-Kenya Economic Partnership Agreement, the UK trade pact, and AGOA preferential access to the United States.
The conference will also communicate several policy reforms designed to improve the business environment:
- VAT refund acceleration for exporters and manufacturers
- Transfer pricing adjustments to reduce compliance burdens
- Revised land lease policies for industrial investors
- Enhanced incentives for Export Processing Zones (EPZs) and Special Economic Zones (SEZs)
- Kenya Digital One-Stop Centre providing integrated access to business registration, tax services, work permits, and regulatory approvals
Principal Secretary for Investment Promotion Abubakar Hassan Abubakar emphasized that KIICO 2026 "will not be a talk shop," focusing instead on commitments and measurable outcomes.
COMESA: Africa's Investment Powerhouse
The COMESA Investment Forum adds a critical regional dimension. COMESA member states recorded a record $65 billion in FDI inflows in 2024, a 154% surge that defied the global trend of an 11% FDI decline. The bloc now captures approximately 67% of all FDI flowing into Africa, with its global FDI share doubling from 2% to 4%.
The top five COMESA recipients were Egypt, Ethiopia, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Kenya. Sectoral performance was striking:
- Construction surged nearly fivefold to $24 billion
- Renewable energy investment jumped 67%
- Health and education rose 130%
- Basic metals increased 75%
- International project finance nearly doubled to $79 billion
However, challenges persist. Intra-COMESA investment remains weak at just 3% of greenfield projects by volume and 6% by value during 2020-2024. Several sectors saw declining investment: agrifood systems fell 34%, transport infrastructure dropped 54%, and water and sanitation collapsed 76%. These underserved sectors represent significant opportunities for international firms.
The CIF26 forum aims to address this imbalance through B2B matchmaking, regional value chain development sessions, and policy coordination among the 17 participating Investment Promotion Agencies.
Procurement Implications by Sector
Agriculture and Agro-Processing
Agriculture contributes 21.65% of Kenya's GDP, and the sector is a top priority for Gulf investors. UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia are actively pursuing food security investments in East Africa, driven by their own import dependencies. KIICO will showcase agro-processing, cold chain logistics, and agricultural technology opportunities.
For procurement professionals, this translates into tenders for food processing equipment, cold storage facilities, irrigation systems, agricultural inputs, and consulting services for value chain development. The COMESA region's 34% decline in agrifood FDI signals an underserved market where new investment announcements will generate significant procurement activity.
Explore current agriculture tenders on BidsFactory.
ICT and Business Process Outsourcing
Kenya captures over 30% of Africa's tech capital and has maintained this lead for three consecutive years. The ICT/BPO sector is a cornerstone of KIICO, with Nairobi's tech ecosystem attracting global outsourcing operations and digital infrastructure investment.
Procurement opportunities include data center construction, fibre-optic network expansion, software development contracts, BPO facility buildouts, and IT consulting. The Semafor-Gates Foundation "Next 3 Billion On Tour Series," running alongside KIICO, will specifically address financial inclusion and digital connectivity investment.
Browse technology tenders for current opportunities.
Renewable Energy and E-Mobility
Kenya's power mix is 93% renewable, making it one of the world's cleanest grids. The AGII Forum on Day 3 will spotlight renewable energy expansion, e-mobility infrastructure, clean cooking solutions, and waste management. Kenya's Energy Transition and Investment Plan targets 100% renewable power by 2060 and net zero by 2050.
Expect procurement opportunities in solar installations, wind farm components, geothermal expansion, EV charging infrastructure, electric vehicle assembly, battery storage, and clean cooking technology distribution. The renewable energy sector's 67% FDI growth across COMESA indicates strong momentum.
See energy tenders currently available.
Mining
Kenya's mining sector is gaining attention, particularly for its reserves of titanium, gold, rare earths, and gemstones. KIICO includes dedicated mining side events exploring exploration licenses, processing infrastructure, and beneficiation opportunities.
Related procurement includes geological survey services, mining equipment, environmental impact assessments, processing plant construction, and transport logistics for mineral exports.
Manufacturing and Economic Zones
Kenya's Special Economic Zones and Export Processing Zones offer tax incentives and streamlined regulatory processes. KIICO will highlight textile and apparel manufacturing opportunities, leveraging AGOA market access and the growing AfCFTA framework. The construction surge across COMESA (nearly fivefold to $24 billion) suggests strong demand for industrial facility construction, factory equipment, logistics infrastructure, and consulting services for zone development.
Countries and Regions Affected
The three-day event impacts procurement markets far beyond Kenya. COMESA's 21 member states span East, Southern, and parts of North Africa:
- East Africa: Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Somalia, Djibouti, Eritrea
- Southern Africa: Zambia, Zimbabwe, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Comoros, Eswatini, Seychelles
- North Africa: Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Sudan
- Central Africa: DRC
Egypt alone attracted the lion's share of COMESA FDI in 2024, driven by the landmark $35 billion Ras El Hekma coastal development deal with Abu Dhabi's ADQ. But the remaining COMESA economies are collectively accelerating, with Ethiopia, Uganda, DRC, and Kenya all showing strong growth trajectories.
Partners at KIICO include ARISE Integrated Industrial Platforms (which develops SEZs across Africa), KCB Group (East Africa's largest bank), the European Union Delegation to Kenya, JICA, and UNDP.
What This Means for Contractors
Companies looking to capitalize on the KIICO investment wave should take several concrete steps:
- Monitor Kenya's Digital One-Stop Centre for new business registration requirements and regulatory approvals flowing from announced deals
- Register with COMESA member state procurement portals, particularly in Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, and DRC where investment is concentrated
- Track AfDB and World Bank tenders for Kenya, as multilateral development banks actively fund projects in the priority sectors highlighted at KIICO
- Prepare for green industrialization tenders resulting from the AGII Forum, particularly in solar, e-mobility, and waste management
- Engage with Special Economic Zone operators like ARISE IIP, which develops industrial parks across multiple African countries and issues procurement for infrastructure, utilities, and services
Kenya's macroeconomic stability (inflation at approximately 4%, GDP growth projected at 4.9% in 2026) and institutional predictability make it one of Africa's most accessible markets for international firms.
Looking Ahead
The deals signed at KIICO 2026 will trigger procurement activity over the coming 12 to 36 months as projects move from commitment to implementation. The COMESA Investment Forum's focus on regional value chains and AfCFTA integration means opportunities will extend well beyond Kenya's borders into neighboring economies.
With COMESA countries absorbing $65 billion in FDI in 2024 and Kenya positioning itself as the gateway to a $75 trillion market, the procurement pipeline from this single conference week could be substantial. Contractors and suppliers should browse current tenders in Kenya and across Africa to position themselves ahead of the wave.
