The Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry has rolled out a 15-day industry mapping and geo-location initiative across Nairobi City County, aimed at modernizing the country’s industrial sector and strengthening policy formulation through data-driven decision-making.
The initiative will gather detailed information on the location, size, operations, and capacity of industries within the capital. The exercise will cover all 147 sub-counties in Nairobi and extend to selected regions beyond the capital.
This strategic undertaking is being implemented in collaboration with the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), Kenya Industrial Estates (KIE), and the Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute (KIRDI), with financial support from the World Bank.
Speaking at the flag-off event, Karanja Njora, Administration Secretary at the State Department of Industry, said the project is a milestone in Kenya’s efforts to revamp its industrial framework.
“This initiative is central to our vision of revitalizing the industrial sector through evidence-based planning and targeted policy-making,” he said.
The data collected will be instrumental in creating a national industrial database and directory, designed to support investment attraction, infrastructure development, and industrial upgrading.
“To realize our industrialization goals, we must establish a comprehensive database that accurately reflects the state of the manufacturing sector,” Njora added.
“Mapping and documenting our industrial footprint will provide the insights needed to strategically position the sector for growth.”
Currently, Nairobi accounts for approximately 80 percent of Kenya’s industrial activities, with the remainder distributed across the country, particularly in adjacent counties such as Kiambu.
The government has set ambitious targets to increase the manufacturing sector’s share of GDP from the current 7.6 percent to 15 percent by 2027 and 20 percent by 2030.
According to officials, understanding Kenya’s industrial capabilities through this mapping initiative is a vital step in reaching these benchmarks.
