NAIROBI, Kenya Dec 1 – The textile industry in Kenya is poised for significant growth in the upcoming days, as key figures in the industry gather for the second edition of the India International Textile Machinery Exhibition Society (India ITME Society).
Having commenced on November 30 and scheduled to conclude on December 2, 2023, the exhibition in Nairobi is a platform for showcasing the latest advancements in textile machinery and technology.
It aims to foster business networking and promote collaborations within the industry.
Taking place at the Kenyatta International Convention Center (KICC), the exhibition has attracted participants from 23 countries, with more than 300 companies actively engaged.
Juma Mukhwana, the Principal Secretary of the State Department for Industry, who inaugurated the event, commended the organizers.
He expressed Kenya’s enthusiasm for hosting this global exhibition, foreseeing positive prospects for Kenya’s textile industry.
“This is a very exciting moment for us as this exhibition will definitely elevate Kenya as the leading gateway to African countries in the textile industry,” Mukhwana said.
As Kenya prepares to finalize an agreement with the European Union (EU) on December 17, 2023, enabling the duty-free export of products to 27 countries over a 25-year period, Mukhwana noted that the ongoing exhibition serves as an ideal platform for Kenya to enhance its manufacturing capabilities to meet market demands.
In June 2023, President William Ruto presided over the signing ceremony for the negotiations leading to the EU-Kenya Economic Partnership Agreement.
The agreement signaled a significant step towards trade liberation, granting Kenyan exports tariff-free and quota-free access to the European Union.
“This is where you need to be because upon your investment in the you will be assured of ready markets and good returns,” Mukhwana told the investors.
The Chairman of the ITME Society, Ketan Sanghvi, emphasized that Kenya’s hosting of the event reflects the government’s dedication to revitalizing the textile industry, which has historically been underutilized.
He further expressed pride in India’s role as a catalyst, fostering collaboration among stakeholders to help Kenya realize its full potential in the textile sector.
Sanghvi added that the exhibition presents an opportunity for Kenya, along with other participating countries, to explore its potential as a new business destination.
“We see some very good potential for Kenya to benefit from the technology, automation, and other services being exhibited by Indian entrepreneurs,” said Sanghvi.
India’s Deputy High Commissioner in Kenya, Rohit Vadhwana, revealed that Indian textile investors are keen to invest in Rivertex East Africa Limited as a testament to the enduring relationship between India and Kenya, aimed at enhancing the textile sector.
Rivertex is one of the 11 state-owned enterprises (SOEs) that the government intends to privatize, aligning with efforts to stimulate the economy and generate employment opportunities.
“Once the bid will be advertised, Indian investors will definitely show interest in Rivertext owing to India’s vast experience in the sector,” Vadhwana said.
According to Vadhwana, the textile industry is the second largest employer in India, employing 45 million people directly and 60 million people indirectly, and the growth of the industry can create many jobs in Kenya.
Jas Bedi, Chairman of the Kenya Export Promotion and Branding Agency (KEPROBA), emphasized that Kenya has an ideal opportunity to enhance its export capacity for various goods, particularly to markets like the USA, through the ongoing exhibition.
Bedi pointed out that, in 2022, Kenya, under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which grants qualifying Sub-Saharan African countries improved market access to the United States, successfully exported textile products amounting to US$ 544 million.
“Our target by 2025 is to export textiles worth US$.2 billion and by 2030 to take the figures to US$.5 billion. If we hit our target for 2025, we will have created 200, 000 jobs, and by 2030, we will have 500, 000 direct jobs. If you put the multiplier effect on the number of families which one job supports, then we will be supporting 2.5 million people,” said Bedi.
Richard Cheruiyot, Chairman of the Export Processing Zones (EPZ), emphasized the significant potential of the exhibition to create employment opportunities for the large number of unemployed youth in the country.
He revealed that the exhibition has the capacity to attract investors and spur them to invest in Kenya.
Cheruiyot disclosed that Kenya presently hosts approximately 40 companies in the EPZ zones, specifically in the textile and apparel industries.
The companies, he said directly employ around 56,000 individuals, and he anticipates this number to increase as a result of additional investments from exhibitors attending the event.
“This exhibition provides us with an opportunity to liaise with international manufacturers,” he said.
Kenya seeks to leverage the exhibition as a strategy to elevate and reinforce its position as a pioneer in the modernization of the textile industry.
The India ITME Society, established in 1980 as a non-profit organization, serves a crucial role in the textile engineering industry and holds a prominent position as the leading industry body in India.
