Kenya Export Promotion and Branding Agency (KEPROBA) CEO Floice Mukabana addressing the media in Kisumu./PHOTO: FAITH MATETE
Kenya has begun a major overhaul of its export strategy following the expiry of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), a trade arrangement that has long anchored the country’s textile and apparel shipments to the United States.
With global trade conditions tightening, the government is moving swiftly to diversify export products, expand value addition, and tap into new international and regional markets.
Kenya Export Promotion and Branding Agency (Keproba) CEO Floice Mukabana said the lapse of AGOA has intensified the urgency to rethink Kenya’s export base not only by developing new product lines but also by aggressively marketing them beyond traditional partners such as the US, UK, EAC, and UAE.
Despite the shocks brought by COVID-19, Kenya’s exports remained strong throughout the pandemic. Between 2020 and 2024, total exports grew by an average of 14.68%, reaching Sh1.1 trillion in 2024. Key export products include tea, cut flowers, textiles and apparel, coffee, fruits and vegetables, medicaments, petroleum oils, cement, meat and meat products, and iron and steel, among others.
Exporters round table meeting organized by KEPROBA in Kisumu./PHOTO: FAITH MATETE
“COVID did not slow down exports for us, and that showed Kenya’s potential. But there is a chance to grow even more,” Mukabana said.
She added, “We have aligned our export agenda with the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda by supporting key value chains such as livestock and livestock products, textiles and apparel, tea, coffee, nuts, and flowers. Now, we are also pushing value addition and product development to increase competitiveness.”
The CEO noted that although AGOA has expired, Kenya still enjoys a 10 percent preferential tariff advantage over other African exporters to the US and is negotiating for an extension, even as it shifts focus to alternative markets.
As part of its new strategic plan running to 2028, KEPROBA has outlined activities aimed at reducing Kenya’s trade vulnerabilities.
These include diversifying products from traditional bulk tea and coffee to smaller packaged, value-added lines while exploring new exports such as leather and leather goods, livestock-based products, and emerging opportunities.
Mukabana said Kenya is also expanding markets through trade missions, exhibitions, and stronger participation under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), where the country has already exported under the Guided Trade Initiative. Kisumu Positioned as a New Export Frontier Keproba sees Kisumu as a fast-rising export hub, especially under the blue economy.
The city’s strategic position on Lake Victoria, shared with Uganda and Tanzania, makes it a natural gateway to Central Africa.
“Kisumu has a vibrant blue economy, and fish offers huge potential not just for consumption but for value addition,” Mukabana said.
For example, the CEO said fish leather products can open new markets and that emerging sectors are also gaining ground.
“We now have exporters dealing in live insects and edible insects, which are becoming popular globally as nutritional supplements. This forms a completely new export frontier.”
However, she noted challenges common among micro and small enterprises such as meeting global standards, accessing buyers, navigating logistics, and understanding complex export ecosystems.
KEPROBA , the CEO added, is addressing this by running product development training, trade forums, and one-on-one coaching on standards, branding, export finance, and market readiness.
Mukabana said part of the government’s long-term plan is to strengthen the national brand so that Kenyan products are instantly recognisable globally.
“We already have iconic products like tea, coffee, and avocados. We are working with relevant agencies to anchor these under a strong Kenyan brand, backed by laws such as the Geographical Indications Bill to protect quality and premium value,” she said.
She was speaking during the Kisumu Exporters Roundtable meeting, which is part of a nationwide engagement towards the Annual Exporters Convention slated for June 2026 in Nairobi.
Insights from these forums will inform a white paper to guide policy and advocacy for a stronger, more competitive export sector.
