The move aims to help Kenyan businesses take advantage of the wider African market.

Speaking during the Kenya Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) 2025 Business Roadshow in Nairobi, Cabinet Secretary for Investments, Trade and Industry Lee Kinyanjui stressed the importance of building stronger regional trade ties.

“The solutions to Africa’s problems lie with Africans,” Kinyanjui said. “It is essential for countries within the continent to strengthen intra-African trade.”

The event, which was organised by Afreximbank in partnership with the African Union Commission and the AfCFTA Secretariat, brought together policymakers, investors and business leaders. It focused on how countries can build value chains across borders and improve Africa’s position in global trade.

Kinyanjui noted that the government plans to establish Kenya as a trade, industrial and innovation centre. “With a well-educated population, abundant resources, and banks ready to finance investment, Africa has what it takes to elevate itself to the next level,” he said.

The AfCFTA seeks to create a single African market by reducing trade barriers and increasing the flow of goods and services between countries.

The IATF supports this goal by connecting businesses and encouraging cross-border trade and partnerships.

Haytham Elmaayergi, Executive Vice President at Afreximbank’s Global Trade Bank, told the forum that African countries miss trade opportunities due to limited information about supply and demand.

“For instance, as a result of a lack of information on African production and supply, countries like Tunisia, Morocco and South Africa import in excess of around US$400 million worth of leather products, mainly from Europe and South America, while countries like Ethiopia, Kenya, and Sudan, which have the supply capacity to meet a substantial part of this demand, continue to export their leather products to markets in Europe and Asia,” Elmaayergi explained.

Elmaayergi also highlighted the growing role of Kenya’s digital sector in driving regional trade. “Kenya has rapidly emerged as a major force in digitalisation and innovation, both within the region and across Africa,” he said.

“The IATF presents a great opportunity for Kenyan Fintech companies, mobile money innovators and other technology companies to come together and showcase their ingenuity to diverse sectors on the continent. It could potentially help them scale beyond the Kenyan borders as well as attract investment to their respective businesses.”

He encouraged both public and private sector players in Kenya to take part in IATF2025. Over 2,000 exhibitors are expected to showcase their products and services to more than 35,000 visitors and buyers from 140 countries. Organisers project trade and investment deals from the fair could surpass US$44 billion.

The roadshow is part of a series that will be held in Nairobi, Accra, Johannesburg, Lagos and Algiers. The main IATF event is set for 4 to 10 September 2025 in Algiers, Algeria, under the theme Gateway to New Opportunities.

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