Pack Hunters consortium leads push for private infrastructure financing

The push emerged during the inaugural stakeholder meeting of the Pack Hunters Investments Consortium in Nairobi, which brought together key players from the financial services sector to discuss mechanisms for increasing private sector participation in financing both public and private infrastructure.

The meeting, convened by Association of Pension Trustees and Administrators of Kenya (APTAK) President Dr Hosea Kili, provided a platform for stakeholders to examine the mandate of the NIF and how institutional investors can work alongside public resources to finance large-scale infrastructure projects.

NIF Founding Chief Executive Officer Dr James Mworia said the scale of Kenya’s infrastructure needs required greater participation from private capital providers, noting that the fund alone could not finance the country’s projects.

“This is a historic moment for Kenya. The private sector has an opportunity to participate directly in the country’s national development agenda by mobilising and directing capital towards infrastructure projects that can deliver sustainable economic and social value,” said Mworia.

Under the National Infrastructure Fund Act, 2026, the NIF is designed to mobilise capital through a blended-finance and market-driven model, drawing resources from domestic long-term funds, collective investment schemes, sovereign wealth funds and climate finance facilities.

Kili said the Pack Hunters Consortium would provide a platform for financial-sector players to combine their expertise in identifying and structuring projects capable of attracting investment.

“The opportunity before us is to bring together the expertise within our industry to identify and structure projects that are genuinely investable. Through the Pack Hunters Consortium, we can create the collaboration needed to move bankable projects from concept to financing and ultimately to implementation,” he said.

Stakeholders proposed a range of measures to strengthen private investment in infrastructure, including legislative amendments to allow Development Real Estate Investment Trusts (D-REITs) to participate in the NIF.

They also proposed tax incentives for private-sector Infrastructure Bonds (IFBs) to make them more attractive to investors, alongside innovative financing mechanisms such as crowdfunding and blended-finance structures.

One proposed model would see NIF capital used to leverage larger contributions from private investors, potentially expanding the amount of capital available for infrastructure development.

Nairobi Securities Exchange Chairman Tom Mulwa said Kenya’s substantial domestic savings could play a greater role in financing long-term development.

“Kenya has built significant pools of domestic savings, and our capital markets have a role to play in connecting those savings to investments that can shape the country’s future,” said Mulwa.

The discussions are expected to inform efforts to develop a pipeline of bankable public and private sector projects and strengthen financing structures for infrastructure investment.