Kenya is accelerating efforts to implement the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as part of a broader strategy to enhance trade and investment across the continent. Speaking at the Kenya edition of the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) 2025 Business Roadshow, Cabinet Secretary for Investments, Trade and Industry, Lee Kinyanjui, emphasized that the Kenyan government is positioning the country as a hub for commerce, manufacturing, and innovation in Africa.
According to the Cabinet Secretary, Africa’s development solutions must come from within, and intra-African trade holds the key to sustainable growth. He noted that Kenya aims to capitalize on AfCFTA by strengthening regional value chains, expanding manufacturing capabilities, and attracting investment to create jobs and boost exports.
IATF Business Roadshow
The IATF Business Roadshow, organized by Afreximbank in collaboration with the African Union Commission and the AfCFTA Secretariat, serves as a platform for countries to share trade and investment information, thereby promoting cross-border economic activities. Themed “Harnessing Regional and Continental Value Chains: Accelerating Africa’s Industrialisation and Global Competitiveness”, the event underscored the importance of linking supply chains across the continent to boost industrial output and competitiveness.
Kenya’s strengths such as a skilled workforce, natural resources, and accessible financial services offer a strong foundation for taking advantage of these trade opportunities. Participants emphasized that a unified African market can increase production capacity, add value to raw materials, and expand economic diversification, supporting the continent’s long-term development goals.
Afreximbank’s Executive Vice President, Haytham Elmaayergi, pointed out that lack of trade and market data remains a significant barrier to intra-African commerce. As an example, he noted that countries like Tunisia, Morocco, and South Africa import over $400 million in leather goods from outside the continent, even though African nations such as Kenya, Ethiopia, and Sudan have the capacity to meet much of that demand.
Elmaayergi also highlighted Kenya’s leadership in digital transformation, especially in fintech and mobile innovation. He said IATF2025 offers a critical opportunity for Kenyan technology firms to gain visibility across Africa, attract investment, and scale their operations beyond national borders.
The Nairobi roadshow is one of five planned across key African cities—Accra, Johannesburg, Lagos, Algiers, and Nairobi leading up to the IATF2025 event in Algiers, Algeria, from September 4 to 10, 2025, under the theme “Gateway to New Opportunities.” The main event will host over 2,000 exhibitors and welcome more than 35,000 visitors from over 140 countries, with an expected $44 billion in trade and investment deals.