… Speaking on the sidelines of the Cities and Municipalities Forum in Naivasha, Industry Principal Secretary Juma Mukhwana said only Nairobi, Nakuru, Machakos, Kilifi, Mombasa, Kisumu and Kiambu had created the right environment for business, accounting for 90 per cent of manufactu …
… Juma Mukhwana. PHOTO| COURTESY Audio By Vocalize Kenya has intensified its push to become a regional manufacturing and industrial hub, inviting global investors to participate in local production, technology transfer, and skills development. …
… tainer: 'taboola-mid-article-thumbnails', placement: 'Mid Article Thumbnails', target_type: 'mix' }); Speaking during the opening celebrations in Nairobi, Principal Secretary for the State Department of Industry in the Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry, Dr Juma Mukhwana …
… Industry Principal Secretary Dr Juma Mukhwana said Kenya is ready for investment, with a digital economy, its gateway to East Africa and Africa, and rare earth minerals for e-mobility investment, and welcomed Slovakian investors to set up shop.His trade counterpart, Regina Ombam, …
… This, as Kenya seeks to create jobs, expand exports and increase the competitiveness of locally made products in both local and international markets.Speaking during the World Accreditation Day 2026 celebrations in Nairobi on Wednesday, Trade Principal Secretary Juma Mukhwana sai …
… Kenya’s Principal Secretary for Industry, Juma Mukhwana, reinforced the country’s role as a regional business hub, telling investors that Kenya provides a direct route into Africa’s expanding consumer and industrial markets. …
… Cabinet Secretary for Investments, Trade and Industry Juma Mukhwana said metrology plays a major role in economic stability and fair trade.“The strength of our economy is determined by our capability in metrology. …
According to the Ministry of Trade and Industrialization, 90 per cent of manufacturing is concentrated in six counties, while the remaining 41 lack adequate infrastructure including reliable water, power, and raw materials needed to attract investment and drive industrial growth.
Why it matters
41 counties lack infrastructure for investors, concentrating 90% of manufacturing in just six counties and limiting economic opportunity nationwide.
According to the Ministry of Trade and Industrialization, 90 per cent of manufacturing is concentrated in six counties, while the remaining 41 lack adequate infrastructure including reliable water, power, and raw materials needed to attract investment and drive industrial growth.
Kenya is intensifying efforts to become a regional manufacturing and industrial hub by inviting global investors to participate in local production, technology transfer, and skills development. The Industry Principal Secretary said Kenya is positioning itself for industrial growth anchored on manufacturing, value addition, and regional trade at the opening of the AICMEC 2026 expo.
Kenya joined the global community in observing World Accreditation Day 2026, with the theme "Innovation, Trust and Sustainability: The Power of Accreditation." Officials highlighted accreditation's critical role in ensuring confidence in laboratory results, testing, calibration, and conformity assessment services, and as a strategic pillar for Kenya's economic development.
The Kenyan government has invited Slovak investors to consider Kenya's investment opportunities, highlighting over 50 options and citing stable currency, inflation, and open capital markets. The trade relationship between Kenya and Slovakia was valued at $6.8 million as of 2025, with Slovakia exporting machinery, automobiles, and fertiliser while Kenya exports cut flowers, coffee, and fresh produce.
Kenya's Trade Principal Secretary Juma Mukhwana called on young people, MSMEs, and the private sector to venture more into manufacturing and value addition, saying the country has opened markets and set supportive policies but local production remains too low to meet demand. He emphasized that manufacturing is one of Kenya's largest employers and has potential to absorb thousands of young people, and urged a shift in mindset from seeking employment to creating jobs through enterprise and innovation.
Slovakia has identified Kenya as its strategic gateway to African markets and unveiled plans for a new bilateral trade framework, with the Slovak Minister of Foreign and European Affairs announcing the commitment during the Kenya-Slovakia Business and Development Forum in Nairobi. The forum brought together 35 Slovak companies operating in healthcare, agriculture, manufacturing, IT, green energy and development cooperation, with KEPSA signing MOUs with Slovak and Kenyan investment agencies to institutionalise business collaboration.
Experts at World Metrology Day 2026 commemoration warned that unreliable measurement systems in everyday products like bread, meat, and fuel lead to unfair trade, weak policies, and loss of public trust. Trusted, accurate measurements are essential for sound governance, market fairness, and strengthening economies across health, agriculture, energy, and consumer protection sectors.