Download: Full Report | Executive Summary
Kenya has the foundations for strong private sector-led growth: a large domestic market, a skilled workforce, and a well-established role as a regional trade hub. Yet despite these advantages, private investment has been held back by a difficult business environment, infrastructure gaps, and governance challenges that raise costs and uncertainty for investors. The Kenya Country Private Sector Diagnostic (CPSD), prepared by the World Bank Group, takes a close look at three sectors with significant untapped private investment potential: avocado and mango exports, coastal tourism, and manufacturing of medical consumables. For each, the report identifies the specific constraints preventing them from attracting the private investment and jobs they are capable of generating.
The reforms identified are practical and near-term, requiring limited fiscal outlay, and are intended to support dialogue between the Government of Kenya, the private sector, and development partners on where action can have the greatest impact. Together, they could contribute to the three sectors reaching their full potential of up to USD 1.5 billion in incremental private investment and 80,000 more and better-paid direct jobs over the medium term, relative to a business-as-usual scenario.
