- Kenya reaffirms industrial leadership at the ARISE IIP-KENYA Investment Forum 2025 with Vipingo Special Economic Zone foundation stone ceremony and landmark investment deals.
Kenya reaffirmed its role as a leading hub for industrial growth as the Arise IIP–Kenya Investment Forum 2025 convened over 500 high-level delegates in Kilifi County.
Over two days, the Forum showcased Kenya’s policy reforms, competitive advantages, and bankable Special Economic Zone (SEZ) projects, bringing together H.E. President William Ruto, Cabinet Secretaries, Governors, development finance institutions, global investors, and industry leaders.
The highlight was the Foundation Stone Laying Ceremony of the Vipingo Special Economic Zone (VSEZ), officiated by President Ruto.
Developed by Arise Integrated Industrial Platforms (Arise IIP), a pan-African developer and operator of world-class integrated industrial parks active in more than 14 countries, in partnership with Centum Investment Company, East Africa’s leading investment firm listed on the Nairobi and Uganda Securities Exchanges, Vipingo SEZ spans 2,000 acres and is designed as a green-powered hub.
The project is expected to attract more than USD 100 million in investment and generate 50,000 direct jobs.
“Allow me to commend Arise IIP and their partners for their vision, commitment, and confidence in Kenya. Their partnership with Centum here in Vipingo SEZ, as well as their investment in Dongo Kundu and Naivasha, demonstrates that Kenya is a premier destination for serious, transformative investment.
It is only through ambitious and audacious projects like the Vipingo Special Economic Zone that we can transform Kenya and, indeed, Africa into advanced industrial economies within our lifetime.” said H.E. President William Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya.
Gagan Gupta, Founder and CEO of Arise IIP expressed that “Kenya’s strategic location, skilled workforce, and strong policy environment make it an ideal hub for sustainable industrial growth.
Vipingo SEZ will catalyse new value chains, create jobs, and position Kenya at the heart of African and global trade.” “Vipingo Special Economic Zone is designed to be a catalyst for industrial growth, job creation, and value addition in Kenya.
By partnering with ARISE IIP, we are combining global expertise with local vision to deliver a competitive platform that will attract investors, create lasting impact, and position Kenya as a leading hub for manufacturing and trade.” said James Mworia, Chairman of VSEZ and CEO of Centum Investment Company.
Following the foundation laying stone ceremony, President Ruto convened the Presidential Roundtable on Financing Africa’s Free Zone Transformation, joined by leaders from the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), the Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance and Arise IIP.
Among the key outcomes of the forum was the signing of a USD 500 million facility between Afreximbank and Kenya Commercial Bank Group (KCB Group) to support investors in Arise IIP SEZ ecosystems in Kenya.
Another milestone was a landmark MOU between Arise IIP Kenya and Fortune Planet Industrial Investment and Development Ltd. to establish an USD 80 million ethanol production facility at Vipingo SEZ. The plant will process up to 500,000 tons of cassava annually, sourced from Kenyan farmers, creating jobs, strengthening rural incomes, and advancing green industrialisation. Additional MoUs and agreements were also concluded across textiles, agro-processing, pharmaceuticals,renewable energy, and logistics.
The Forum also featured high-level keynote speeches and policy discussions that contextualised Kenya’s SEZ agenda within both national and continental frameworks. Delegates heard from George Olaka, Group CFO of Arise IIP and Arise IS and CEO of Arise IIP Kenya; James Mworia, Chairman of Vipingo SEZ and CEO of Centum Investment Company; UNIDO Country
Representative Tally Einav; and Kilifi Governor Gideon Mung’aro. Case studies from Arise IIP, Tatu City, and Konza Technopolis illustrated successful SEZ models, while always-on deal rooms provided investors with direct access to project developers,regulators, and financiers.
By combining policy clarity, practical case studies, and real-time investment opportunities, the Arise IIP–Kenya Investment Forum 2025 positioned Kenya as one of Africa’s most attractive investment destinations.
With a strategic location as a gateway under AfCFTA to 1.4 billion consumers, strong policy commitment under Vision 2030 and the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda,(BETA) bold reforms, world-class infrastructure, and a young, dynamic workforce, Kenya demonstrated why it is ready to lead Africa’s industrial future.
