Kenya to Host Industrialisation Summit in November as Government Targets 20pc Manufacturing Contribution to GDP by 2030

Story by Evans Mutinda

Kenya will host the Kenya Industrialisation Summit 2026 from November 2nd -7th at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi, as the government seeks to accelerate manufacturing growth, attract investment and position the country as a regional industrial hub.
The summit, organised by the State Department for Industry under the Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry (MITI), is expected to bring together more than 2,000 participants, including government officials, manufacturers, investors, development partners, researchers and other industry stakeholders.
Speaking during the media announcement in Nairobi, Principal Secretary for Industry Dr Juma Mukhwana said the summit would provide a platform for discussions on policies, partnerships and innovations needed to transform Kenya from a net importer into a competitive manufacturing and export hub through value addition.
Mukhwana said the event would also provide an opportunity to showcase Kenyan-made products and strengthen collaboration between government, industry, academia and development partners.
“This year, we are having the President, H.E. Dr William Ruto, Will grace the Summit, which is our premier national platform for industrial development,” Mukhwana said in his talking notes.
The summit will be held under the theme, “Driving Industrial Growth through Investment, Manufacturing, Trade, Innovation and Sustainable Financing.”
According to the PS, the theme places manufacturing at the centre of Kenya’s economic transformation agenda and emphasises competitiveness, inclusivity and sustainability.
Manufacturing sector faces growth challenges
Mukhwana said manufacturing currently contributes approximately (8%) eight per cent of Kenya’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), below the government’s target of 15 per cent by 2027 and 20 per cent by 2030.
He identified infrastructure gaps, limited uptake of technology and weak linkages between industry and research institutions as some of the challenges constraining the sector’s growth.
However, he said Kenya had significant opportunities to expand manufacturing, citing its youthful population, access to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) market and the global shift towards Industry 4.0 technologies.
The government intends to use the summit to identify investment opportunities and develop strategies to address the challenges facing manufacturers.
Kenya’s industrialisation agenda is anchored in Vision 2030, the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) and the AfCFTA framework.
Mukhwana said the State Department for Industry was focused on improving industrial competitiveness through innovation and value addition, strengthening micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), attracting investment and promoting sustainable and inclusive industrial development.
Priority sectors include agro-processing, textiles and apparel, building materials, pharmaceuticals and automotive manufacturing.
Exhibition and investment opportunities
The six-day summit will feature high-level plenary sessions, keynote addresses, thematic panel discussions and presentations, alongside an exhibition showcasing Kenyan products, innovations and technologies.
Dedicated business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-government (B2G) matchmaking sessions will also be organised to connect manufacturers with potential investors, financiers and government agencies.
The programme will further focus on digitalisation, green industrialisation, the circular economy and the integration of MSMEs into industrial value chains.
Mukhwana said the exhibition was expected to attract shoppers to KICC to purchase locally manufactured products, in addition to the delegates attending the summit.
The event is expected to bring together Cabinet Secretaries, Principal Secretaries, governors, industry leaders, representatives of the Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM), the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA), development partners, investors, academic and research institutions, and regional and international stakeholders.
Participants are also expected to include representatives of the East African Community (EAC), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and the AfCFTA, as well as MSMEs, women and young people involved in manufacturing.
Five expected outcomes
The government expects the summit to produce five key outcomes aimed at strengthening Kenya’s industrial base.
These include policy recommendations to improve the competitiveness of Kenyan products in global markets; stronger partnerships between government, industry, academia and development partners; concrete investment commitments and financing for industrial projects; increased visibility for Made-in-Kenya products and innovations; and greater participation of MSMEs, women, youth and persons with disabilities in industrial value chains.
Mukhwana urged the media to support the government’s industrialisation agenda by raising public awareness, promoting local manufacturing and mobilising participation in the summit.
He said the government would release a detailed programme, exhibitor registration information and partnership opportunities in the coming days.
The PS invited Kenyans, investors and innovators to attend the summit from November 2nd to 7th, 2026, at KICC, Nairobi, as the country seeks to build a stronger and more sustainable industrial base.