NAIROBI, April 24, 2026 — The Africa Finance Corporation [ AFC ] and the Government of Kenya have signed a Host Country Agreement establishing AFC’s first regional office in Nairobi, strengthening the Corporation’s platform for scaling infrastructure investment and industrial development across Africa.
The agreement was signed by Musalia Mudavadi, Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, and AFC President and CEO Samaila Zubairu. The ceremony, witnessed by President William Samoei Ruto at the ongoing Africa We Build Summit, formalises Kenya as the host of AFC’s regional office.
The move brings AFC closer to a high-growth, capital-rich market with rising demand for bankable infrastructure solutions.
“Kenya welcomes the entry of AFC into the country and the East African region. Kenya continues to serve not only as a regional hub, but also as a continental gateway,” said Mudavadi.
He added that Kenya remains one of Africa’s most compelling growth corridors, with the economy projected to expand by 5.3 per cent in 2026. The broader East African Community, home to more than 400 million people, is growing at about 6 per cent annually.
Nairobi’s established role as a regional logistics, financial and technology hub makes it a natural base for AFC’s operations, spanning transaction origination, capital mobilisation and cross-border project execution.
AFC plans to deploy and mobilise more than US$ 2 billion across the region over the next three to five years, focusing on sectors with strong multiplier effects. These include logistics and trade corridors, power and transmission, special economic zones, digital infrastructure and climate-resilient assets.
The regional office will also drive capital mobilisation and structured local currency solutions, delivering AFC’s investment and financial services to clients and partners while enhancing bankability and attracting institutional capital.
It will operate as a full-service platform, originating, structuring and executing transactions, while strengthening portfolio optimisation through partnerships with governments, institutional investors and private operators.
AFC’s expansion builds on its track record in Kenya. Since joining the Corporation in 2017, Kenya has attracted more than US$ 1.3 billion in AFC commitments across energy, transport and industrial projects.
Current initiatives include the development of the Dongo Kundu Integrated Industrial Park and Naivasha Special Economic Zone II in partnership with Arise Integrated Industrial Platforms, as well as support for the expansion of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
President Ruto described the agreement as a significant milestone.
“This signing marks a pivotal moment in Kenya’s economic development journey. By deepening our partnership with AFC, we are reinforcing Kenya’s position at the forefront of infrastructure and industrial transformation in Africa,” he said.
“AFC’s presence in Nairobi will help create jobs and strengthen our capacity to deliver transformative projects aligned with Kenya’s Vision 2030.
“The decision to establish its first regional office here also reflects Kenya’s role as a preferred base for pan-African and international institutions seeking a platform for regional growth. With inflation easing and progress in fiscal consolidation, Kenya offers a stable environment for long-term structured development finance.”
Zubairu said Nairobi’s strategic position made it an ideal anchor for AFC’s East African operations.
“Establishing a regional office in Nairobi allows us to originate faster, structure more effectively, and deploy capital at scale across interconnected markets. Our focus is on building investable infrastructure platforms that unlock regional trade, industrial capacity and long-term economic growth,” he said.
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