Kenya Positions Itself as Africa’s Investment Gateway at 5th India-Africa Entrepreneurship & Investment Summit
Nairobi, July 19, 2025 – The Principal Secretary for the State Department for Investment Promotion, Mr. Abubakar Hassan Abubakar, CBS, on Friday reaffirmed Kenya’s strategic positioning as an investment gateway to Africa during the 5th India-Africa Entrepreneurship and Investment Summit held at the Trademark Hotel in Nairobi.
The high-level summit brought together leading entrepreneurs, investors, government representatives and development finance experts from across Africa and India. Organized under the theme “Connecting Entrepreneurial and Innovation Networks between India and Africa,” the event aimed to explore synergies between two of the world’s fastest-growing regions by deepening cooperation in entrepreneurship, innovation and investment.
The day’s program featured keynote addresses, panel discussions and expert presentations covering topics such as fund-of-funds models, sustainable finance for the Global South and trade and investment opportunities in East Africa.
Delivering his keynote address, PS Abubakar stated that Kenya continues to lead as a hub for innovation and investment in the region. “Kenya has been number one in startup funding in Africa for two consecutive years,” he said. “With the Startup Bill currently awaiting presidential assent, we are taking deliberate steps to strengthen our innovation ecosystem and support scalable enterprises.”
He emphasized that Kenya is open, ready and safe for business, citing the country’s strategic location, robust infrastructure, diversified economy and regional market access through blocs such as the East African Community (EAC) and COMESA.
“Kenya is not just an entry point into Africa—it is a dependable partner. We are home to the sixth-largest economy on the continent, backed by stable exchange rates, favorable tax laws and production efficiency,” he said.
Highlighting Kenya’s growing pharmaceutical market—valued at $10 billion annually—PS Abubakar urged Indian investors to tap into local opportunities and build sustainable partnerships. “Currently, 60% of our pharmaceutical imports come from India. There’s room to explore local manufacturing and value addition,” he noted.
He also referenced the recent state visit by President William Ruto to India as a testament to Kenya’s commitment to economic diplomacy.” Through the Kenya-India Business Council and partnerships facilitated by KenInvest, we are opening more doors for bilateral cooperation,” he said, announcing a planned investment roadshow in India in October this year and the Kenya International Investment Conference scheduled for March 2026.
Earlier in the summit, panelists addressed barriers and opportunities in the African entrepreneurial ecosystem, noting the need for localized solutions, policy implementation and inclusive access to finance. Discussions emphasized Africa’s youthful demographic, rising innovation potential and untapped capital sources such as pension funds for entrepreneurial development.
“Africa is not one country. We need to appreciate the diversity in income levels, consumption behaviors and regulatory environments,” said one panelist. Others called for a shift from Western economic models to context-specific strategies tailored for African realities.
The summit also explored sustainable finance, noting that Africa’s current emission efficiency stands at only 3%. Participants challenged entrepreneurs and investors to embed environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards into business models while building resilience.
In his address, Mr. Jas Bedi, a leading voice in regional trade policy, highlighted geopolitical shifts impacting global trade. He noted that 46% of world trade is currently dominated by just two countries—China and the U.S.—but Africa’s growing population and regional trade blocs present enormous potential. “In the next 25 years, one in every four people globally will be African. The demographic shift will redefine how the world looks at Africa,” he said.
Bedi further noted that while Africa has duty-free access to many global markets, including the U.S. under AGOA (set to expire in 72 days for Kenya), there is still a trade imbalance with India. “India currently exports $3 billion to Kenya annually. We must work to reverse this imbalance by increasing African exports through strategic partnerships,” he said.
The summit concluded with a call to action for African governments, investors and entrepreneurs to forge more inclusive, resilient and innovation-led ecosystems. The India-Africa Entrepreneurship Forum (IAEF), the conveners of the event, reaffirmed their mission to connect the entrepreneurial potential of both regions for shared prosperity.