President William Ruto has pitched Kenya as Africa’s next major investment destination, urging global financiers and corporations to tap into the country’s stability, reforms, and strategic position in regional and global markets.
Speaking in New York at the US-Kenya Business and Investment Roundtable, which brought together top executives from American multinationals, Ruto said Kenya had laid a solid foundation for growth, supported by predictable policies and resilient macroeconomic indicators.
“Kenya is now the sixth-largest economy in Africa, recently upgraded from B minus to B by external rating agencies, reflecting stronger fundamentals,” he told investors.
The President highlighted that inflation averaged 3.8 percent between January and October 2025, while the shilling remained stable at Sh129–131 against the dollar for 18 months. Foreign reserves, he noted, had doubled over three years.
Diaspora remittances of $5.1 billion, growing pension assets of $18 billion, and the Nairobi Securities Exchange’s recognition as Africa’s best-performing bourse in 2024 were also cited as growth drivers. He pointed to the oversubscription of a $340 billion infrastructure security and an upcoming $1.15 billion IPO of the Kenya Pipeline Company.
Ruto assured investors of a strong legal and institutional framework, backed by constitutional guarantees, contract enforcement, and dispute resolution mechanisms. He further underscored Kenya’s privileged access to key markets, including AGOA with the US, the EU partnership agreement signed in 2024, trade pacts with the UK and UAE, and the $3.7 trillion African Continental Free Trade Area.
The President also announced reforms to ease doing business, such as zero-rating VAT on export services, flexible tax changes, and removal of a 30 percent local equity rule for ICT firms. By mid-2026, he added, permits and licenses will be issued fully online through a one-stop digital portal.
“Kenya is open and ready for business,” Ruto concluded. “We offer stability, talent, green energy, and connectivity — a trusted partner for ventures that deliver strong returns and lasting impact.”
