By Ken Muthomi - Reporter
Kenya, 11 May 2026 - France and Kenya have signed a new agreement that will see France support Kenya in the expansion and rehabilitation of the Nairobi Commuter Rail System, President William Ruto has revealed.
The agreement was part of 11 economic growth agreements signed by President William Ruto and his French Counterpart Emmanuel Macron on Sunday.
The president maintained that the KSh 12.5 billion project is expected to play a key role in modernising the country’s capital railways system as well as reducing congestion.
“As part of the strengthening of the strategic partnership between Kenya and France, our two countries today signed right here 11 instruments aimed at deepening cooperation across strategic sectors of our economies,” Ruto said.
“Among the key instruments signed today is the rehabilitation and modernisation of the £83 million or KSh 12.5 billion Nairobi commuter rail, which will serve as a central pillar of our urban transport modernisation program,” he added.
The government aims to rehabilitate and construct a total of 165 km commuter rail line network across the country's capital, which aims to ferry 30,000 people per hour by 2030.
The railway rehabilitation program is set to expand the city’s railway by connecting it to other towns such as Siokimau, Embakasi, Ruiru, and Kikuyu.
The agreement is expected to also help in the fast-tracking of the 30.5 km Riruta–Ngong–Kiserian–Ongata Rongai line.
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In 2025, members of the G7, including Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States, pledged to support other flagship transport projects in Nairobi, which include the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lines and non-motorised options.
Other areas of cooperation between France and Kenya include reinforcing the Kenya Meteorological Service Authority to improve weather and climate forecasts to help the agriculture sector, as well as the freight operations at the Port of Mombasa.
France has also said that it will support Kenya’s plan to develop nuclear energy, as the country seeks to increase power generation from 3,000KW to 10,000KW.
France also agreed to provide overseas employment opportunities for Kenyans, while Kenya said that it will start exporting premium tea to France.
“Our priority is clear: to step up investments and strengthen our cooperation programmes in healthcare, education, food, digital technology, energy, and infrastructure,” Macron said after signing the agreement.