Nairobi, Kenya – 10 September 2026 – Kenya’s President William Ruto has reaffirmed the country’s commitment to creating a predictable, transparent and investment-friendly business environment, while highlighting reforms and new opportunities for U.S. investors in manufacturing, critical minerals, technology and trade.
President Ruto said Kenya is implementing reforms aimed at reducing regulatory bottlenecks, improving licensing, protecting investments and making it easier for businesses to navigate public institutions. He spoke at the AmCham Business Summit 2026, convened by the American Chamber of Commerce Kenya (AmCham Kenya) and the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi.
Ruto said predictability remains central to Kenya’s investment proposition, noting that investors require clear rules, timely licences, verified refunds, respected contracts and stable investment terms. He also highlighted progress since the 2023 Summit, including removal of VAT on exported services, changes to tax refund rules, employee share taxation reforms and removal of the 30% local equity requirement for major technology firms.
The President said Kenya’s foreign direct investment increased from US$1.5 billion in 2022 to a record US$3.2 billion last year, while nearly 100 Special Economic Zone enterprises licensed over the past four years have created 22,000 industrial jobs. He added that ongoing reforms include implementation of the County Licensing (Uniform Procedures) Act, the proposed Investment and Export Promotion Bill and digitization of the Investment One Stop Centre.
Ruto said American companies have committed more than US$600 million in new projects since the 2024 Summit, citing Oracle, Coca-Cola, Mars Wrigley and SC Johnson. He added that Ford is exploring opportunities in Kenya, while critical minerals such as rare earths, titanium, graphite and lithium present opportunities for extraction, processing and downstream manufacturing.
The President also welcomed the extension of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) to December 2028, saying Kenya’s longer-term ambition is to build an enduring, reciprocal and mutually beneficial trade relationship with the United States.
Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Frank W. Garcia Jr. said Kenya is strategically positioned as a gateway to Africa’s US$3.4 trillion market. He said U.S. policy towards Africa is shifting from aid dependency towards trade, investment and mutual benefit, noting that the U.S. administration and State Department have helped close 50 transactions worth US$28.2 billion across sub-Saharan Africa.
AmCham Kenya Board President Angela Ng’ang’a said the government’s reforms are strengthening the business environment and investor confidence. She urged businesses to use the reforms to expand partnerships in Kenya and beyond, while highlighting priority areas including VAT refunds, transfer pricing, a predictable tax environment, harmonization of economic zones and new opportunities in sports.
During the Summit, U.S. Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Susan Burns announced several agreements and initiatives, including Digital Realty’s US$80 million data centre in Nairobi, a blockchain-powered mobility financing platform by Telecoin and Power Hive, cooperation on cargo screening and container security, and new bilateral engagements in creative industries and cybersecurity.
Other initiatives include a five-year US$19.2 million U.S. Department of Agriculture project to improve access to affordable, high-quality livestock feed in Kenya, as well as a SelectUSA technology pitch competition whose Kenyan winner will travel to the United States in May 2027 to pitch to venture capital investors. The two-day AmCham Business Summit focuses on translating policy dialogue into investment, stronger regional value chains, job creation and expanded trade.
