UK investors eye Kenya and East Africa

Investors from the UK are seeking to create partnerships and to boost investments in Kenya. A delegation led by one of the UK’s leading support organizations, Birmingham Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI), is in Kenya to look for new investment opportunities.

The group includes UK firms wanting to invest in Kenya’s major development sectors like roads, renewable energy and water; and companies offering goods and services specifically tailored to the local businesses and consumers. The trade mission, which includes solar experts Octagon Europe and Daima Energy Solutions, is also expected to visit Tanzania and Uganda to seek other regional investment projects.

The head of the delegation, Jonathan Webber, who is also the Director for the International Trade of BCCI, is also expected to press on strengthening Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mauritius and Uganda’s local chambers of commerce.

Daima plans to manufacture solar energy products in Kenya, provide the country with affordable clean energy, create local jobs for the youth and raise environmental awareness among consumers. Similarly, Octagon Europe, a housing solution provider, hopes to work with the local agencies, government and businesses to ensure that displaced people, slum dwellers and refugees have access to durable and decent housing.

The UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) team of the British High Commission, which organized the visit, targets to encourage investment funding in Kenya and to build stronger commercial links between the two countries. The British High Commission stated that the BCCI mission underlines the deep interest of UK firms in doing business in the East African region, particularly in Kenya.