Connect with us
Anglostratits

Business

KCB and Afreximbank in Joint Funding Deal to Operationalize Vipingo Special Economic Zone (SEZ)

Published

on

Afreximbank

Afreximbank and KCB Group will provide initial funding amounting to US$ 500 million and US$ 300 million, respectively towards the initiative

NAIROBI, Kenya, September 17, 2025/APO Group/ –KCB Group and pan-African multilateral development bank, African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com) have entered a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) aimed at providing financial and trade facilitation support to investors operating in the Vipingo Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Kilifi County.

Under the agreement, Afreximbank and KCB Group will provide initial funding amounting to US$ 500 million and US$ 300 million, respectively towards the initiative.

The announcement was made during the Arise Integrated Industrial Platforms (Arise IIP) – Kenya Investment Forum 2025 where business leaders converged to deliberate on how to position Kenya as a preferred investment destination.

Under the framework, prospective investors will benefit from competitive financing solutions to establish operations within the SEZ, with a focus on manufacturing, agro-processing, logistics, and value-addition enterprises.

This agreement marks a significant step in our mission to catalyse sustainable industrial growth in Kenya and across the region

By combining resources, expertise, and networks, KCB and Afreximbank will empower both local and international investors to enjoy tailored financing solutions, including working capital facilities, project finance, trade financing, project preparation facility, guarantees and advisory support among others.

Speaking during the signing ceremony on September 16, 2025, in Vipingo, KCB Group CEO, Paul Russo said, “This agreement marks a significant step in our mission to catalyse sustainable industrial growth in Kenya and across the region. We are delighted to elevate Vipingo SEZ as a gateway to transforming, creating and sustaining an environment in which export-oriented industries can thrive, by leveraging economies of scale, shared infrastructure and access to global markets.”

The Vipingo SEZ is one of Kenya’s flagship projects under the Special Economic Zones Authority (SEZA), envisioned as a catalyst for attracting investment and spurring regional development. By channeling affordable capital into the zone, the partnership between KCB and Afreximbank is expected to unlock critical infrastructure, strengthen export-oriented industries, and position Kilifi as a magnet for both domestic and foreign direct investment.

On her part, Afreximbank’s Managing Director, Export Development, Ms. Oluranti Doherty noted: “Afreximbank’s mandate is to promote and expand African trade, and this partnership with KCB is a concrete demonstration of that commitment. Special Economic Zones are powerful engines for industrialization, export growth, and economic diversification. Through this financing framework, we will not only enable enterprises to scale but also support the creation of sustainable supply chains that uplift local communities and drive regional integration.”

Mr. Russo signed on behalf of KCB Group, Ms. Doherty for Afreximbank and Mr. George Olaka, CEO Arise IIP-Kenya signed for his organistion. The ceremony was witnessed by H.E. Dr. William Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya, Prof. Benedict Oramah, President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Afreximbank and Mr. Gagan Gupta, Founder and CEO of ARISE IIP.

The agreement underscores the role of strategic partnerships in bridging Africa’s financing gap while enabling the private sector to play a transformative role in sustainable development. The funding to Vipingo SEZ is under the Afreximbank’s US$ 3 Billion Country Programme to Kenya signed in May 2023 to support the development of various sectors of its economy, with a special focus on industrial development, namely the Naivasha Industrial Park, Dongo Kundu Industrial Park and now the Vipingo SEZ. Afreximbank disbursed US$ 40 million in funding to facilitate the development of  the Vipingo Special Economic Zone (SEZ) with a further commitment of US$ 500 million to support individual investors setting up operations within the Zone.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afreximbank.

Home  Facebook

Business

Canada–Africa Financing Forum to Convene Investors and Decision-Makers in Cape Town – May 14, 2026

Published

on

Ateau Zola

This timely Forum comes on the heels of commitments announced by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, deepening Canada–Africa commercial ties and expanding investment partnerships

TORONTO, Canada, April 29, 2026/APO Group/ –The Canada–Africa Chamber of Business (https://CanadaAfrica.ca) will convene investors, financiers, policymakers, and industry leaders in Cape Town on May 14, 2026 for the Canada–Africa Financing Forum—a high-level platform focused on unlocking capital and accelerating deal flow across African markets.

Registration is open (http://apo-opa.co/4vZN6oV)

This timely Forum comes on the heels of commitments announced by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, deepening Canada–Africa commercial ties and expanding investment partnerships. The program connects leaders from venture capital, private equity, and institutional investors to examine where capital is moving—and where the next opportunities lie—supported by Canadian project partners with proven capacity to deliver on-the-ground.

Delegates will engage directly with finance and investment decision-makers, following the program opening, featuring messages from President Cyril Ramaphosa and Prime Minister Mark Carney, in addition to high-level Ministerial representation.

This Forum is about capital deployment, not just conversation

“This Forum is about capital deployment, not just conversation,” said Garreth Bloor, President of the Canada–Africa Chamber of Business. “We are convening investors, institutions, and project leaders who are actively shaping transactions across Africa—and connecting them directly with Canadian partners who are ready to work together.”

The Canada–Africa Financing Forum reflects the Chamber’s role as a privately financed, market-led platform advancing Canada-Africa trade and investment through world-class networking and information-sharing events.

Why Attend

  • Direct access to active dealmakers and capital allocators
  • Insights into where capital is being deployed and key players delivering major projects
  • Opportunities to build partnerships across Canada and African markets
  • Participation in a curated, high-level environment focused on execution

Secure Your Place

Space is limited and demand is strong.

Apply to secure your place (http://apo-opa.co/4vXb9oz)

Read More and View the Program (http://apo-opa.co/4vZN6oV)

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Canada-Africa Chamber of Business.

Continue Reading

Business

ORUN and 1xBET Partner to Support a Dynamic Creative Africa

Published

on

MIR Holding

During the MASA 2026 edition, held from April 11 to 18, 2026, ORUN and 1xBET implemented the We Champion Talent program, an initiative aimed at promoting African talent and advancing the development of Cultural and Creative Industries (CCIs)

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, April 28, 2026/APO Group/ –As part of the Innovation Village co-organized with MASA at the Palais de la Culture in Abidjan from April 14 to 18, ORUN (https://ORUN.Africa) announces the rollout of its partnership with 1xBET to support a creative Africa that is structuring itself, professionalizing, and scaling across the continent.

We aim to demonstrate that it is possible to support African talent, narratives, and creative ecosystems over the long term, with ambition and consistency

Designed as a space of convergence between heritage, innovation, and knowledge transmission, the Innovation Village features scenography crafted by Ivorian artisans, a program of panels and masterclasses on creative industries, an immersive experience produced by Orun Studios, and a major institutional highlight on April 17. Its narrative platform is built around three pillars: memory, structure, and transmission. The initiative aims to position cultural and creative industries as an economic driver for the continent.

“The Innovation Village was conceived as an act of construction. By partnering with organizations such as 1xBET, we aim to demonstrate that it is possible to support African talent, narratives, and creative ecosystems over the long term, with ambition and consistency,” said Habyba Thiero, CEO of Africa Currency Network and President of ORUN.

This vision aligns with ORUN’s broader ambition to produce, structure, and internationalize African creative industries through events, content, and strategic partnerships.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of ORUN, part of African Currency Network (ACN).

 

Continue Reading

Business

MIR Holding Reaffirms Its Commitment to African Creative Industries Alongside ORUN at Marché des Arts du Spectacle Africain d’Abidjan (MASA) 2026

Published

on

MIR Holding

More than event support, this partnership reflects a commitment to backing platforms capable of structuring value chains, increasing the visibility of talent, and fostering the emergence of strong African creative infrastructures

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, April 28, 2026/APO Group/ –On the occasion of MASA 2026, held from April 11 to 18 in Abidjan, MIR Holding (https://MIRHolding.odoo.com) reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the growth of African creative industries by partnering with ORUN as part of the Innovation Village, hosted at the Palais de la Culture in Abidjan. This presence reflects a clear intention to support the scaling of cultural and creative industries so they can fully contribute to job creation and value generation across the continent.

 

Co-organized by ORUN and MASA, the Innovation Village brought together over several days scenography designed by Ivorian artisans, a program of panels and masterclasses dedicated to creative industries, an immersive experience produced by Orun Studios, and a key institutional highlight on April 17.

At MIR Holding, we believe that Africa’s future will also be shaped by its ability to structure its narratives, its talent, and its creative value chains

Built around three pillars — memory, structure, and transmission — the initiative carried a renewed ambition for culture: positioning it as a concrete lever for economic structuring and African projection.

By supporting this initiative, MIR Holding aligns with a broader dynamic aimed at strengthening connections between creation, entrepreneurship, content, youth, and growth ecosystems. More than event support, this partnership reflects a commitment to backing platforms capable of structuring value chains, increasing the visibility of talent, and fostering the emergence of strong African creative infrastructures. MIR Holding stands among the main partners of the Village, alongside Africa Currency Network and other stakeholders engaged in this vision.

“With ORUN, we are not only seeking to make culture visible. We aim to help provide it with a framework, a reach, and a trajectory. What is at stake here is the continent’s ability to better transform its creative energy into sustainable value, real opportunities, and influence,” said Habyba Thiero, CEO of Africa Currency Network and President of ORUN.

Mouhamed Dieng, President of MIR Holding, added: “Supporting Africa’s creative industries is not about backing a secondary sector. It is about investing in one of the continent’s most powerful spaces for storytelling, youth, innovation, and competitiveness. At MIR Holding, we believe that Africa’s future will also be shaped by its ability to structure its narratives, its talent, and its creative value chains.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of MIR Holding.

 

Continue Reading

Trending