Kenya Targets USD 2 Billion Textile and Apparel Exports by 2032 as PS Abubakar Opens Investment RoadShow
The Principal Secretary (PS) for Investment Promotion, Mr. Abubakar Hassan Abubakar, today officially opened the Textile and Apparel Investment Roadshow organized by Invest Kenya in partnership with Gatsby, bringing together global brands, manufacturers, policymakers and investors to explore Kenya’s growing textile and apparel investment potential.
The high-level forum aimed to position Kenya as a competitive, sustainable and integrated textile and apparel sourcing and manufacturing hub, with a strong focus on value addition, green industrialisation and export growth.
Speaking during the opening session, PS Abubakar reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to export-led industrialisation and announced ambitious targets for the sector.
“Kenya is deliberately positioning itself as a competitive, reliable and sustainable textile and apparel hub anchored on strong partnerships with the private sector. Our goal is to grow textile and apparel exports from USD 500 million to USD 2 billion by 2032, while creating jobs and deepening integration across the entire value chain,” said PS Abubakar.
He noted that the textile and apparel sector remains a priority industry under Kenya’s manufacturing and investment strategy, supported by Export Processing Zones (EPZs), Special Economic Zones (SEZs), improved logistics, skilled human capital and preferential market access, including under African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). The PS further emphasized government efforts to develop green and eco-friendly industrial parks, strengthen policy certainty and promote sustainable production aligned with global ESG standards.
The Roadshow also highlighted opportunities for vertical integration, spanning cotton, fabric production, garments, accessories and logistics, as well as plans to advance a green industrial zone in Naivasha to support environmentally responsible apparel manufacturing.
Invest Kenya Chief Executive Officer Mr. John Mwendwa underscored Kenya’s competitive value proposition, citing market access, cost stability and workforce strengths as key drivers for investor confidence.
“Kenya offers access to a trillion-dollar global market through preferential trade arrangements, stable and competitive production costs and a large, skilled workforce, said Mr. Mwendwa.
He added that Kenya’s integrated zone ecosystem, plug-and-play industrial facilities and strong government-private sector collaboration provide investors with a ready platform to scale operations and respond to fast-changing global fashion cycles.
Participants were also invited to attend a three-day textile and apparel conference at the Kenya International Investment Conference (KIICO) 2026 scheduled for 25–27 March in Nairobi, which will feature business-to-business matchmaking, policy discussions and a dedicated economic zones side event.
The Textile and Apparel Investment Roadshow marks another step in Kenya’s drive to attract quality investment, strengthen industrial competitiveness and position the country as a long-term global sourcing and manufacturing destination for textiles and apparel.