By MIchelle Ndaga
Kenya stepped up its pitch to global investors during the US-Kenya Business and Investment Forum held on the sidelines of the 80th UN General Assembly on 22 September 2025.
The breakfast forum, organised by the Corporate Council on Africa (CCA) in partnership with KenInvest and the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA), brought together senior US private sector executives and Kenyan government officials.
CCA President and CEO Florizelle Rizer underscored the strong investment prospects in Kenya and pledged support for KenInvest in preparing for the Kenya International Investment Conference (KIICO) 2026.
In his keynote address, President William Ruto hailed the United States as Kenya’s largest source of foreign direct investment and called on American corporations to treat Kenya and Africa as central to their growth strategies. “Kenya is pivotal to Africa’s transformation and offers predictability, competitiveness, and scale for investors seeking access to regional and continental markets,” he said.
The President highlighted four key advantages of investing in Kenya:
- A predictable and sustainable market, with the Nairobi Securities Exchange ranked Africa’s best performer in 2024 and targeting 40 new listings by 2029.
- Strong legal and regulatory frameworks guaranteeing investment protection.
- Ease of doing business and competitiveness.
- Strategic access to East and Central Africa through AfCFTA, AGOA, and other trade agreements.
Key sectors showcased included textiles and apparel, clean and renewable energy projects such as Lake Turkana Wind Power and Kipeto Wind Power Station, and major infrastructure projects like Nairobi Railway City, which Kenya Railways presented as a transformative urban mobility initiative.
President Ruto concluded by inviting participants to attend the Kenya International Investment Conference in March 2026, positioning Kenya as the launchpad for global expansion into Africa.
