NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 28 – Kenya’s bid to anchor itself as the commercial entry point into East and Central Africa gained momentum on Friday as more than 300 investors and policymakers from 35 countries convened in Nairobi for the 2025 Kenya Trade and Investment Roadshow.
Equity Group CEO Dr. James Mwangi told delegates that East Africa now offers the scale, stability, and demographic advantage global investors need, urging participants to pursue concrete deals rather than “conservative engagement.”
“Africa is on a journey of rapid growth. More than 75 percent of our population is under 35 — digital natives who will be your customers for the next two decades,” he said.
The summit, themed Unlocking East Africa: Kenya’s Role as the Engine of Regional Prosperity, highlighted Kenya’s strategic position as a launchpad into a 350-million-consumer regional market with rising purchasing power.
Mwangi said Equity’s operations across six markets, coupled with partnerships with global financiers such as IFC and Norway’s sovereign wealth fund, offer businesses the capital support needed for regional expansion.
He added that Africa’s natural resources and strategic minerals will place the continent at the centre of the global energy transition.
Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council Deputy Chairman Lord Swire told attendees that Kenya’s growth trajectory continues to strengthen its role as a regional business hub.
He noted that Commonwealth companies enjoy a 19 percent cost advantage when trading with each other.
International Finance Corporation’s Regional Director for Financial Institutions, Aliou Maiga, said Africa must cultivate bold thinkers capable of executing transformative ideas, adding that strengthening economic resilience remains central to the World Bank’s mandate.
He also described East Africa as a continental leader in digital innovation and entrepreneurship.
The roadshow forms part of Equity Group’s wider programme to connect Kenyan and regional firms with global capital and new trade opportunities.
