Kenya’s ambition to become a regional industrial hub has received a significant lift after Sun King, the country’s largest solar and energy-efficient appliances company, opened its first large-scale manufacturing facility in Tatu City, Kiambu County.
The 7,600-square-metre plant marks Sun King’s first manufacturing operation in Africa and signals growing investor confidence in Kenya’s industrialisation agenda.
The facility will produce up to 700,000 units annually, consolidating manufacturing, refurbishment, and warehousing under one roof.
By producing closer to its customer base, Sun King aims to reduce import dependence, shorten supply chains, and boost local value addition. The company estimates the investment could replace more than USD 150 million worth of imports over five years, while creating hundreds of local jobs.
“Opening our own manufacturing facility in Kenya gives us the scale to deliver more efficiently, innovate faster, and grow a resilient manufacturing ecosystem,” said Kota Kojima, Sun King’s Chief Operating Officer.
The launch was attended by senior officials from the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, the Ministry of Energy, and the Kenya Association of Manufacturers, who hailed the move as timely and aligned with the government’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda.
Initially, the facility will produce Sun King’s solar-powered televisions and smartphones, with plans to expand into additional product lines. The company will also partner with technical institutions and universities to provide apprenticeships and training programmes aimed at building Kenya’s manufacturing skills base.
“This milestone reflects our long-term partnership with Kenya to advance Africa’s manufacturing capability,” said Dr. Wale Aboyade, Sun King’s Senior Vice President for Public Policy.
Headquartered in Nairobi, Sun King powers millions of Kenyan households and businesses with solar products and employs nearly 10,000 people across the country.
