Kenya Development Corporation (KDC) is reinforcing its role as a catalytic Development Finance Institution (DFI) in advancing innovation-led growth, as it takes part in the Africa Forward Summit 2026 taking place in Nairobi from 11th – 12th May 2026.
The Summit, jointly convened by the Governments of Kenya and France, brings together diplomatic and international partners, including development partners, donors and foreign investors, to mobilize technical partnerships and financing that accelerate youth-led innovation and drive national socio-economic transformation.
Speaking ahead of the Summit, the Director General of KDC, Ms. Norah Ratemo, underscored the Corporation’s strategic focus on enabling innovation and creative enterprise development as a cornerstone of inclusive economic growth.
“Innovation and creativity are no longer peripheral sectors; they are central to economic transformation, job creation and global competitiveness. At KDC, we are deliberately unlocking affordable and inclusive financing that enables creatives, innovators and digital entrepreneurs to scale ideas into sustainable enterprises. Through strategic partnerships and catalytic capital, we are strengthening an innovation ecosystem that empowers young people and positions Kenya as a competitive hub for enterprise growth,” said Ms Ratemo.
KDC continues to deepen its role in financing innovation-led sectors that are reshaping the economic landscape, including the digital economy, creative industries, healthcare manufacturing and emerging technologies.
Through long-term financing and advisory support, the Corporation is enabling enterprises to scale sustainably, enhance productivity and expand into regional and global markets.
Within the Summit engagements, the African Rural and Agricultural Credit Association (AFRACA) Pre-Summit Event will convene African Public Development Banks to advance a Joint Declaration Framework aimed at scaling sustainable, resilient and inclusive agricultural finance across the continent. Having signed the Public Development Banks Joint Declaration, KDC continues to reinforce its commitment to collaborative financing models that strengthen economic resilience and accelerate sustainable development across Africa.
KDC is also taking a strategic role as Innovation Partner for the Nova Garage Launch, a flagship platform designed to identify, nurture and scale high-potential entrepreneurs in the digital and creative economy. Co-convened by the French-African Foundation and Kenya’s State Department for Foreign Affairs through the Autonomous Advancement Initiative, the platform brings together diplomatic and international partners, development institutions, donors and investors to unlock technical collaboration and catalytic financing for youth-led innovation and enterprise growth, driving broader socio-economic transformation.
These engagements will further advance efforts to strengthen Kenya’s innovation ecosystem by catalysing investments in data infrastructure and cloud computing, digital payments and fintech, e-commerce platforms, artificial intelligence, smart technologies and innovation- driven enterprises. At the same time, continued support to the creative economy; including film, media arts, music, literature, design and digital content creation; reinforces its growing role in job creation, cultural expression and economic transformation.
KDC will also engage in the AIM2030 High Level Breakfast Meeting under the Africa Initiative for Medical Access and Manufacturing (AIM2030), a flagship programme led by the Government of Kenya, the African Union Commission and the World Bank Group.
The initiative seeks to catalyse investment opportunities in healthcare manufacturing and strengthen Africa’s pharmaceutical and medical products ecosystem through coordinated implementation frameworks and strategic partnerships.
Kenya Development Corporation’s engagement reflects a sustained commitment to financing strategic sectors that drive industrialisation, innovation, inclusive growth and long-term socio-economic transformation, including the digital and creative economy.
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