Africa Capital Week set for Nairobi to drive investment flows

The Capital Markets Authority (CMA), the Vision 2030 Delivery Secretariat, the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE), and the Nairobi International Financial Centre (NIFC) have convened a high-level breakfast meeting in Nairobi ahead of the upcoming Africa Capital Week scheduled for August 31, 2026, to September 4, 2026.

The meeting brought together senior government officials, private sector leaders, development partners, and international financiers to coordinate preparations for the continental forum, which is expected to attract investors, policymakers, regulators, and development finance institutions from across Africa and beyond.

Speaking during the engagement on Tuesday, officials said the initiative aligns with Kenya’s Vision 2030 and the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda, aimed at deepening capital markets and positioning Africa as an attractive investment destination.

In his remarks, the Chairman of the Kenya Vision 2030 Delivery Board, Emmanuel K. Nzai, announced that the inaugural Africa Capital Week will serve as a platform to mobilise capital for Africa’s development priorities, noting that the continent faces an annual infrastructure financing gap estimated at USD 402 billion.

“This launch comes at a pivotal moment, following the presentation of the 2026/27 National Budget, which reaffirmed the Government's commitment to economic transformation and private sector-led growth. Achieving these ambitions will require stronger partnerships and increased mobilization of private capital,” said Bonface B. Makokha, Principal Secretary, State Department for Public Investments and Asset Management.

The forum will bring together institutional investors, fund managers, sovereign wealth funds, regulators, and policymakers to explore investment opportunities across infrastructure, energy, housing, and the digital economy.

“Africa Capital Week is not simply about raising capital. It is about building confidence. It is about connecting opportunity with investment. It is about transforming ambition into action. And ultimately, it is about securing Africa's economic future through stronger capital markets and sustainable investments,” said Cyrell Wagunda Odede, Principal Secretary, State Department for Public Investments and Asset Management.

Representatives of the National Black Chamber of Commerce said they have already mobilised close to $1 billion for potential investment in viable projects.

Nzai added that the five-day forum will feature plenary sessions, technical discussions, investor matchmaking, and project site visits, aimed at unlocking investment pipelines and strengthening cross-border capital flows.

“Africa has not had a forum of this standing dedicated entirely to its capital markets. Africa Capital Week will be where the continent’s financing agenda is set, where investor relationships that move capital across borders are built, and where the narrative about what African markets can deliver is written by those who are building them,” he said.