Market Access & Trade


Kenya Market at a Glance

Kenya has a market-based economy and is generally considered the economic, commercial, financial, and logistics hub of the greater Eastern Africa region. With the strongest industrial base in East Africa, Kenya has been successful in consistently attracting foreign direct investment with KenInvest registering 43 new manufacturing projects in the 2019 period totaling US$ 351 million in capital costs and net inflows of FDI and other investment at US$ 1.151 billion.

In 2019 Kenya’s ranking in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business (EODB) index improved positioning the country as the 56th most competitive economy to do business globally, and the third most competitive in Africa after Mauritius (13th) and Rwanda (38). With support from the World Bank Group. Kenya is set to undertake additional regulatory reforms that will make it easier for investors to do business in Kenya.

Kenya is a member of trade arrangements and a beneficiary of trade promotion schemes that include Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), World Trade Organization, and the EAC-EU Trade Agreement. It is also a member of the East Africa Community (EAC) with a market with over 135 million people as well as the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) with a market of over 450 million people. In March of 2018, Kenya became a signatory to the African Continental Free Trade Area agreement that paves the way for frictionless trade across Africa giving investors access to a market of 1.2 billion people with a combined gross domestic product (GDP) of more than $2 trillion.


Key Economic Drivers

​ Kenya has a population of about ~54.7 million and is growing at a rate of 2.3% p.a (World Bank 2020). Further, in 2020, the urban population increased by 28% of the country’s population compared to 9.8 % in 1969, leading to increased consumer demand for high-value goods. Investors investing in the Special Economic zones are therefore assured of a local market for their goods


Kenya’s location makes it a gateway to East and Central Africa. With the Indian Ocean to its South-East, Kenya is bordered by Tanzania to the South, Uganda to the West, South Sudan to the North-West, Ethiopia to the North and Somalia to the North-East. Kenya has vast connections with neighboring and foreign countries as follows;

  • Sea Connection
  • Road Connection
  • Air Connection

This strategic location makes Kenya desirable location for investors looking to invest in the Special Economic Zones as they can access the Eastern, Central and South Africa Markets.


Kenya is a member of trade arrangements and a beneficiary of trade promotion schemes that include Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), World Trade Organization, and the EAC-EU Trade Agreement.

It is also a member of the East Africa Community (EAC) with a market with over 135 million people as well as the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) with a market of over 450 million people.

In March of 2018, Kenya became a signatory to the African Continental Free Trade Area agreement that paves the way for frictionless trade across Africa giving investors access to a market of 1.2 billion people with a combined gross domestic product (GDP) of more than $2 trillion.

Kenya has duty free and quota free access to a $40 trillion GDP market (USA, $19.4T, EU $17.4T, UK $2.62T, COMESA $735 BN) with a target market of approximately 1.7 billion people.

Further, the country has the trust of reputable global buyers with brands such as Levi’s, H&M, Vanity Fair, PVH, TCP, Wrangler, JC Penny and Otto already sourcing raw materials from Kenya. Investing in Kenya’s Special Economic Zones, therefore, translates


Start with the customer – find out what they want and give it to them.