The Trump administration intensified its efforts to secure a foothold in Kenya’s untapped critical minerals sector, part of a broader strategy to challenge China’s dominance in global supply chains.
Kenya is hosting the US-Kenya Critical Supply Chains Conference in Nairobi today, January 30. This invite-only forum aims to connect American capital with Kenya’s reserves of rare earth elements and niobium.
A U.S.-backed consortium, the Mrima Earth Consortium, has submitted a proposal to the National Mining Corporation (Namico) to develop the Mrima Hill site in Kwale County. The deposit is valued at tens of billions of dollars and contains minerals essential for defense, aerospace, and electric vehicles.
On January 29, 2026, the U.S. and the African Union Commission (AUC) launched the US-African Union Strategic Infrastructure and Investment Working Group (SIWG). This body will use U.S. capital to advance AU-backed projects, specifically focusing on critical minerals and energy networks.
The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) has appointed a new Regional Managing Director in Nairobi to oversee projects that advance U.S. interests. The DFC currently has over $10 billion in exposure in Sub-Saharan Africa, targeting strategic sectors like critical minerals.
This push follows a January 15 executive order by President Trump aimed at reducing U.S. import dependence on China by securing minerals through international partnerships with “reliable states”.
This shift marks a move from aid-based relations to a trade and investment focus, positioning Kenya as a regional anchor for U.S. economic and security interests in East Africa.
By Anthony Solly
