Kenya to Champion Green and Digital Industrial Transformation, Step Up War on Counterfeits
Cabinet Secretary for Investments, Trade and Industry, Hon. Lee Kinyanjui (left), and Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) Chief Executive Officer, Tobias Alando, admire a flower display at an exhibition booth during the Kenya Industrialization Conference 2025 held at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), Nairobi, on Wednesday, November 5, 2025.
The government of Kenya has reaffirmed its commitment to transforming its manufacturing sector into a green and digitally driven powerhouse while intensifying efforts to curb counterfeit goods that undermine industrial growth and consumer safety.
The Third Kenya Industrialization Week marks a renewed drive to build a resilient, sustainable, and innovation-led economy that creates jobs, protects local industries, and attracts global investment.
Speaking during the official opening of the Kenya Industrialization Conference 2025 at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi, Cabinet Secretary for Investments, Trade and Industry, Hon. Lee Kinyanjui, said the government is committed to transforming Kenya into East Africa’s leading manufacturing hub through inclusive and technology-driven policies.
“Our goal is to make Kenya East Africa’s manufacturing hub through inclusive and technology-driven policies,” he said.
He said Kenya’s industrial transformation is anchored on three interlinked pillars establishing County Aggregation and Industrial Parks, embracing digitalization and artificial intelligence, and promoting green manufacturing.
“These are not separate pursuits; they reinforce one another and define our competitiveness in a low-carbon global economy,” said Kinyanjui.
The CS noted that the conference, organized jointly with the Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM), focused on five key value chains , cotton, leather, edible oils, pharmaceuticals, and dairy which are central to the country’s Economic Transformation Agenda.
Kinyanjui said the Cotton, Textile and Apparel (CTA) sector is already showing strong revival, with local garment firms supplying international brands.
“We are rebuilding the farm-to-factory continuum, from quality seed production to garment manufacturing, ensuring that Kenya can compete globally,” he said.
He added that Kenya’s Green Hydrogen Strategy and Roadmap is progressing steadily, positioning the country as a leader in clean energy and industrial decarbonization.
“Our collaboration with UNIDO on industrial decarbonization and circular economy initiatives is helping Kenyan industries transition to low-carbon pathways while remaining globally competitive,” he noted.
Turning to the automotive and e-mobility sector, the CS revealed that Kenya had secured financing support from Japan through the Samurai Bond facility to boost vehicle assembly, energy reliability, and electric mobility. He emphasized that government policy reforms, together with private sector innovation, will anchor the next phase of Kenya’s industrial growth.
Speaking at the same event, Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) Chief Executive Officer, Tobias Alando, said Kenya’s manufacturing sector holds immense potential that can be unlocked through enhanced competitiveness, expanded market access, and strengthened support for small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
“Kenya is an opportunity we often don’t see in our people and in our manufacturing sector; anyone manufacturing in Kenya should be competitive with counterparts in the region and globally,” he said.
Alando emphasized that the manufacturing sector remains a key driver of economic transformation and job creation, urging greater collaboration between government and industry players to boost productivity and innovation across all value chains.
He outlined KAM’s focus on four key areas global competitiveness, market access, SME development, and industrial innovation stressing that collaboration between large and small manufacturers is crucial for sector growth.
“The big and the small must walk together; SMEs are the future of any country and must be supported,” he stated.
Alando emphasized that the manufacturing sector could transform Kenya’s economy if both the public and private sectors align on policy implementation, innovation, and infrastructure. He reaffirmed KAM’s commitment to working with the Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry and county governments to strengthen industrial ecosystems, promote exports, and improve market linkages for local producers.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Anti-Counterfeit Authority (ACA), Dr. Robi M. Kinga said the Authority has intensified efforts to curb the proliferation of counterfeit goods by strengthening enforcement, public awareness, and regional cooperation.
“We have been working tirelessly with KAM and other stakeholders to lead the fight against counterfeit trade within the country,” he said.
Dr. Kinga noted that ACA has scaled up nationwide awareness campaigns such as Fagia Bandia, aimed at educating the public on how to identify and report fake products.
“We have seized counterfeit goods worth over Sh4 billion since the Authority’s inception, ensuring they are removed from the market through court or compounding procedures before destruction,” he explained.
He added that ACA is strengthening regional and border-level cooperation to prevent counterfeits from entering the country.
“We are working with local and international manufacturers to intercept counterfeit goods before they reach Kenyan markets,” he said, adding that protecting intellectual property supports industrial growth and investor confidence.
Dr. Kinga urged manufacturers to innovate and partner with the Authority in reporting illicit trade, noting that a counterfeit-free economy is vital for Kenya’s industrial transformation agenda.
The Kenya Industrialization Week 2025 brought together government officials, industry leaders, innovators, and development partners to chart a path toward sustainable manufacturing, innovation, and fair trade.
