Investors and business leaders from Kenya, France and the wider region have called for practical long-term partnerships anchored on infrastructure, green transition projects, skills development and de-risking investments to unlock Africa’s economic potential.
The call was made during business leaders and investors engagement held in Nairobi on the sidelines of the Africa Forward Summit, as stakeholders explored opportunities for deeper trade, financing and industrial cooperation between African and French businesses.
The meeting brought together France and Kenya private sector players, development finance institutions and investors seeking to strengthen commercial ties and position Kenya as a strategic gateway into East and Central Africa.
Equity Bank Kenya Managing Director Moses Nyabanda who hosted the group, said Africa’s improving economic outlook and expanding consumer base continue to make the continent increasingly attractive to investors.
“Africa is now truly bankable, and we’ve played our part, we’ll continue to do that. The market that we pretend to offer you is at least 350 million consumers, and if you look at the trend of GDP per capita across the regions that we are looking at, it is the place to be,” Nyabanda said.
He noted that Kenya remains strategically positioned as an entry point into the East African market and beyond, adding that stronger partnerships between African and French businesses could help unlock value across the continent.
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“Kenya provides a fantastic gateway to not only the six markets that we have, but the wider East Africa region. And that’s why we are here, for that conversation of how do we bring Kenyan businesses to align to our partners from France, how are we able to catalyse that?” he said.
Nyabanda added that the focus should now shift towards connecting businesses, financing opportunities and regional value chains capable of driving enterprise growth and economic transformation.
French investors signaled growing interest in expanding partnerships with African businesses through financing, export support and technical collaboration.
Martin Heslouin, Executive Director of the Council at BPIFrance, said France has developed specific programmes aimed at supporting African businesses through financing guarantees, advisory support and stronger commercial linkages with French suppliers.
“We have specific programmes for Africa. Since a few years, we are bringing companies to Africa, and this is very important,” Heslouin said.
He noted that the programmes are designed to help Kenyan and African companies access French business solutions while securing financial guarantees and loans that reduce transaction risks and support expansion.
“Our core mission now for the team is to connect Kenyan businesses and African businesses to French suppliers and French solutions, so that here you can grow the business of Kenyan companies, and you can get some guarantees or some loans to secure all the transactions,” he said.
The discussions also highlighted the growing need for investment models focused on sustainability, industrialization and long-term value creation rather than short-term returns.
Gerard Wolf, Vice President of the Africa Committee at Medef International, said investors are increasingly looking at projects tied to ecological transition, skills development and infrastructure as key drivers of Africa’s future growth.
“We have to be more practical and pushier,” Wolf said, adding that Kenya remains central to regional investment corridors and long-term infrastructure partnerships.
He said French private sector players are looking beyond short-term commercial opportunities and are instead focused on long-term investment commitments in Africa.
“We are here for infrastructure, we are here for long-term commitments, for long-term investment,” Wolf said.
Stakeholders at the engagement emphasized that stronger collaboration between African institutions, international investors and development finance actors will be critical in unlocking sustainable growth, supporting businesses and positioning Kenya as a regional hub for trade and investment.
