Investors urged to tap Kenya's growing market at Nairobi Summit

The three-day summit, organised by Equity Bank under the theme “Unlocking East Africa: Kenya’s Role as the Engine of Regional Prosperity,” showcased the country as a key gateway to a 350 million-strong consumer market across the region.

Equity Group CEO Dr James Mwangi urged global investors to view East Africa as a mature, high-potential investment destination, citing demographic advantage, economic stability, and rapid digital adoption as defining attributes of the region’s rise.

“Africa is on a journey of very rapid growth for a prolonged period,” Mwangi said. “More than 75 per cent of our population is under 35. They are digital natives. They will be your customers and partners for the next two decades,” he stated. 

Mwangi called on investors to pursue bold, transactional partnerships rather than conservative engagement, encouraging them to use the roadshow as a deal-making forum.

“Please don’t go home with your idea. It may not be the winning idea, but it may trigger the winning idea,” he said. 

“Spend more time in the one-on-one meetings not just having a cup of tea, but signing agreements, and those agreements should not end with a handshake. I invite you to shake hearts.”

He positioned Kenya not only as a domestic market but as a strategic regional hub.

“See Kenya as the hub of the East African Community, and see a population of 350 million people,” Mwangi said. “That is a sizable and growing market whose GDP per capita is rising.”

He further noted that Equity’s regional presence and global partnerships make it a catalyst for major investments.

“We are systemic in six markets, and our influence will open doors for you,” he said. “The World Bank, through IFC, is our second-largest shareholder, and the Norwegian sovereign wealth fund, the largest on earth, is our largest shareholder.”

Mwangi also pointed to Africa’s mineral wealth as a global advantage in the transition to renewable energy.

“There will be no energy transition without strategic minerals. Africa is over-endowed. God was very generous,” he said.

Addressing the forum, Lord Swire, Deputy Chairman of the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council, said Kenya's emergence as a regional economic powerhouse reflected long-term institutional progress and economic ambition.

“Kenya and its growth never cease to amaze me,” he said. “The opportunities are enormous, and I am astonished by what this country has become.”

He urged investors to leverage the Commonwealth trading bloc, noting its proven efficiencies.

“It is cheaper for one Commonwealth company to do business with another — an audited advantage of 19 per cent,” he said. “Don’t forget the Commonwealth. Look closely at the opportunities within it.”

Aliou Maiga, the Regional Industry Director for the Financial Institutions Group in Africa at the International Finance Corporation, called for a new class of African visionaries capable of driving transformative growth.

“Africa needs people who think big and make things happen,” he said. “If we are able to create the right conditions and enable people to realise their potential, the future of this continent will be secured.”

Maiga reaffirmed the World Bank Group’s commitment to supporting countries in building resilient and competitive economies through financing, technical expertise, and policy support.

He also hailed East Africa as a continental leader in innovation.

“This region has become a hub for startups, digital platforms, and tech-driven enterprises,” he said. “That innovative spirit is driving economic growth, boosting job creation, and positioning East Africa as a key player in shaping Africa’s role in the global knowledge and technology economy.”