By Kepher Otieno - Reporter
Zanzibar, 18 June 2026 - Zanzibar is sharpening its investment pitch to global capital, positioning itself as a rising Indian Ocean gateway even as Kenya accelerates a parallel push to modernise its ports in a bid to unlock foreign direct investment (FDIs) across East Africa.
At the Zanzibar Investment Summit (ZIS) 2026, President and Chairman of the Revolutionary Council Dr. Hussein Ali Mwinyi set an assertive tone, telling investors the island is ready for large-scale capital inflows and structural economic transformation.
“If you want to be part of Africa’s next success story, Zanzibar is ready for you. Zanzibar is ready for business,” Mwinyi said, framing the island’s growth agenda around diversification and resilience.
The three-day summit, held at the Golden Tulip Airport Hotel, brought together government officials, diplomats, investors and development partners under the theme “Promoting Investment Diversification for Sustainable Development: Shaping Zanzibar’s Next Growth Story.”
The message from Zanzibar was consistent and deliberate. The island is seeking to move beyond traditional economic dependencies and reposition itself through the blue economy, manufacturing, renewable energy, agro-processing and digital services.
Mwinyi urged investors to recalibrate their focus. “Look beyond traditional sectors and embrace opportunities in manufacturing, renewable energy, agro-processing, digital services and the Blue Economy,” he said, underscoring a policy shift toward diversification-led growth.
Diplomatic participation reinforced the summit’s global weight. Among those present were Ambassador Dr. Suleiman Haji Suleiman, Tanzania’s envoy to China; Ambassador Ahn Eunju of South Korea; Tanzania’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom Mbelwa Kairuki; and Ambassador Dr. John Stephen Simbachawene, Tanzania’s envoy to Brazil, alongside other international representatives.
Officials said the strong diplomatic turnout reflected rising investor appetite for East Africa’s coastal economies, particularly as global supply chains adjust and maritime trade routes gain renewed strategic importance.
It is within this broader regional recalibration that Kenya Shipyards Limited (KSL) is expanding its maritime footprint, positioning itself as a technical and infrastructure partner in East Africa’s blue economy transformation.
KSL’s delegation at the summit included Major (Rtd) Solomon Obange, General Manager Corporate Services and Team Leader, Principal Communications Officer Belinda Osoro, Business Development Officer Njambi Njoroge and Communications Consultant Jason Nyantino.
Their presence underscored growing coordination between East African states seeking to align port infrastructure development with investment attraction strategies.
In Kenya, KSL has been central to an ongoing effort to modernise key maritime and inland water facilities, with Kisumu Port on Lake Victoria emerging as a flagship project in the broader logistics upgrade agenda.
Once underutilised, Kisumu Port is being repositioned as a strategic inland gateway connecting Kenya to Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan and the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The goal is to transform it into a functional logistics node that integrates road, rail and lake transport systems.
The upgrades focus on improving cargo handling efficiency, increasing operational capacity and reducing turnaround times—factors considered critical in lowering transport costs across the region.
A KSL official, speaking on the sidelines of the summit, said the objective is to make inland and coastal ports commercially competitive and attractive to private capital.
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“We are focused on infrastructure that reduces friction in trade and supports regional integration. Efficiency is now a key driver of investment decisions,” the official said.
Beyond Kisumu, KSL is also involved in broader technical and engineering support across Kenya’s maritime infrastructure, reflecting a national strategy to strengthen the blue economy as a pillar of industrialisation.
The firm’s scope includes marine engineering, vessel maintenance, and capacity building in shipbuilding and repair services—areas seen as essential for sustaining long-term port functionality and competitiveness.
Analysts note that such investments are increasingly central to attracting foreign direct investment, as global investors prioritise logistics reliability, predictable cargo flows and integrated supply chains when selecting markets.
Zanzibar’s investment strategy and Kenya’s port modernisation drive are increasingly viewed as interconnected elements of a wider regional maritime agenda.
Both are anchored on a shared belief: that East Africa’s coastal geography and inland waterways can be converted into a competitive advantage if supported by efficient infrastructure and investor-friendly policy frameworks.
The competition for foreign capital across Africa has intensified in recent years, with countries racing to upgrade transport corridors, industrial zones and logistics hubs to capture shifting global trade patterns.
Zanzibar is betting on diversification and strategic location in the Indian Ocean, while Kenya is leveraging its port network and inland water systems to reinforce its role as a regional trade gateway.
Together, the two strategies reflect a broader East African ambition to integrate maritime infrastructure into economic transformation plans, linking ports, production zones and regional markets.
For investors, officials say, the message from both Zanzibar and Kenya is increasingly aligned: lower costs, improved efficiency, and expanding opportunities in blue economy-linked sectors.
As global supply chains continue to evolve, East Africa is positioning its ports not just as entry and exit points for goods, but as engines of industrial growth, investment attraction and regional integration.