Pan-African industrial developer Arise Integrated Industrial Platforms (Arise IIP) has outlined plans for major industrial investments in Kenya targeting job creation and value addition across key sectors of the economy.
The initiative, implemented in partnership with the Government of Kenya, the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), and the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), seeks to establish fully integrated industrial parks that will support manufacturing, agro-processing, textiles, leather, and edible oils industries.
Arise IIP Chief Financial Officer, George Olaka, said the company’s model focuses on developing complete industrial ecosystems that remove barriers for investors and accelerate industrial growth.
“We create fully serviced platforms where investors can start operations within a year instead of spending years acquiring land or waiting for approvals,” Olaka said, adding that the approach combines land, roads, water, power, and logistics within ready-made industrial zones.
Speaking in Nairobi on Tuesday, he said that the planned flagship industrial parks in Naivasha and the Coast region are at various stages of development and they are designed to support enterprises producing for both domestic and export markets.
Olaka emphasized that Arise IIP’s partnership with Rivatex East Africa Limited in Eldoret forms part of a broader national effort to modernize industries and revive the cotton-to-cloth value chain.
Under a 21-year operate-and-transfer agreement, Arise IIP will assist Rivatex in upgrading its technology, expanding production, and creating sustainable employment opportunities.
“Rivatex remains a public asset. Our role is to inject modern systems, improve efficiency, and ensure the textile value chain benefits thousands of farmers and youth,” Olaka clarified, noting that the initiative will support cotton farmers across various counties.
He added that Kenya’s strategic location, skilled workforce, and access to regional markets through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) makes it one of the most attractive destinations for sustainable industrial investment.
The company’s operations are backed by Afreximbank, which has committed about US$800 million (Sh107 billion) to finance industrial projects, while the Africa Finance Corporation provides long-term funding and technical expertise.
Olaka noted that similar Arise IIP projects in Gabon, Benin, and Togo have transformed local industries by promoting value addition and exports.
In Gabon, the company established the Gabon Special Economic Zone, which turned the country from a raw timber exporter into a major wood processing hub.
He said the same model will be replicated in Kenya to accelerate industrialization and align with the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).
“Our investments aim to create thousands of direct and indirect jobs, strengthen local supply chains, and expand Kenya’s export base,” he said.
Olaka underscored the company’s commitment to green and inclusive industrialization, saying all new parks will incorporate renewable energy systems, water recycling, and environmental safeguards.
He said Arise IIP’s goal is to make Kenya a model for sustainable industrial development in Africa by combining policy support from government with private sector innovation and capital.
“Kenya has the right policies, location, and talent. Our work is to provide the platform that converts that potential into real industries and exports,” Olaka said.
By Naif Rashid
