Ruto to Headline 2026 AmCham Business Summit in Nairobi
President William Ruto will serve as the chief guest at the 2026 American Chamber of Commerce Kenya (AmCham) Business Summit, scheduled for September 9-10 in Nairobi. The two-day event, to be held at the Windsor Golf Hotel & Country Club, will bring together government and business leaders from Kenya, the United States, and East Africa to discuss trade and investment opportunities.
The summit will focus on seven sectors: agriculture, the digital economy, energy and infrastructure, manufacturing, healthcare, critical minerals, and the creative economy. It will feature policy discussions, sector investment sessions, government-business engagements, and business-to-business meetings aimed at creating new investment and trade partnerships.
Building on Prior Success
Organizers expect the summit to build on more than $2 billion (Sh258.9 billion) in investment commitments and grants associated with previous editions, as Kenya seeks to attract fresh capital into strategic sectors. The previous fourth edition of the regional summit, held in Nairobi in 2024, secured more than $1 billion in cumulative investment commitments and grants since the event began, including 12 new project and grant announcements during that edition.
AmCham Kenya has more than 300 member companies. The summit is co-convened by AmCham Kenya and the U.S. Embassy in Kenya, and co-hosted by the government through the Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry. Other partners include the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Invest Kenya, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, and AmCham chapters from Uganda, Ethiopia, Rwanda, and Tanzania.
Official Statements
AmCham Kenya Board President Angela Ng'ang'a said Ruto's participation would send a positive signal to investors considering Kenya. "President Ruto's participation is a strong signal to investors that Kenya is ready to compete for capital," she said. She added that closer cooperation between government and the private sector was important in creating a predictable investment environment.
U.S. Embassy Kenya Chargé d'Affaires Susan Burns said the summit would provide an opportunity to strengthen commercial ties between Kenya and the United States. "The United States and Kenya share a strong and growing commercial partnership, built on a shared commitment to innovation, investment, and real prosperity for both Kenyans and Americans," Burns said.
AGOA Context
The summit comes at a critical time for Kenya's trade and investment relationship with the U.S. following the extension of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) to December 31, 2028. Investments, Trade and Industry Cabinet Secretary Lee Kinyanjui said apparel accounts for about 70 per cent of Kenya's exports to the U.S. According to the 2025 Economic Survey, apparel exports under AGOA increased by 19 per cent to Sh60.6 billion in 2024, from Sh50.8 billion in 2023. The apparel sector supports more than 66,000 direct jobs, particularly in Export Processing Zones.
The AGOA extension retains the third-country fabric provision, allowing Kenyan manufacturers to source yarn and fabric from outside the AGOA region, manufacture garments locally, and export them to the U.S. duty-free.