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.
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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.
