EBRD plans Ksh.30B first investment in Kenya as it expands into Sub-Saharan Africa

In an interview with Royal Media Services on the sidelines of the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi, Renaud-Basso said Kenya is among the countries the bank is engaging as it extends its footprint south of the Sahara.

“We are going to start with 200 million euros in the beginning,” she said.

Renaud-Basso said the EBRD, which has traditionally operated in Asia and North Africa, will focus mainly on the private sector in Kenya, targeting investments in manufacturing, agriculture, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and infrastructure.

She said SMEs would be among the biggest beneficiaries, with the bank planning to roll out dedicated credit lines alongside advisory services and capacity-building programmes.

“We are going to have credit lines for SMEs… we are going to provide advisories and capacity building on how to manage and improve exports and manage their businesses,” she said.

Renaud-Basso said the bank also plans to fund local businesses directly and build long-term partnerships.

“We are going to do funding for local businesses… We are looking forward to having and creating partnerships that last,” she said.

She added that women’s economic empowerment would be a priority area, including improving access to jobs and financing.

“Another priority area is to improve women’s access to jobs, activities, financing, supporting their businesses,” she said.

Separately, Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Musalia Mudavadi held bilateral talks with Renaud-Basso on the sidelines of the summit, with the discussions focusing on deepening cooperation in industrial growth, infrastructure development, investment and sustainable financing.

Mudavadi said the talks explored new areas of collaboration aimed at strengthening economic resilience, creating opportunities for Kenyans and advancing international partnerships.