NIFC positions Nairobi as Africa’s hub for financial services and regulated digital assets at Davos
The Nairobi International Financial Centre Authority (NIFC) successfully concluded a series of high-level engagements at the World Economic Forum in Davos, reinforcing Kenya’s emergence as a leading African hub for financial services, digital innovation, green finance, and regulated virtual assets.
At a private leadership breakfast hosted by SCC Fund SP, ChainBLX SPC, and Digital.Davos, global investors and technology leaders engaged with NIFC on the deployment of compliant blockchain infrastructure, institutional-grade digital platforms, and scalable innovation aligned with global regulatory standards.
The engagements marked a significant step forward in Kenya’s investment agenda, with ChainBLX SPC and SCC Fund SP confirming plans to establish operations in Kenya, supported by the Nairobi International Financial Centre Authority.
Speaking in Davos, Chief Executive Officer of the Nairobi International Financial Centre Authority Daniel Mainda, Kenya has made a deliberate shift from momentum to architecture.
“Through the Nairobi International Financial Centre, we are building markets — not experiments — anchored in regulatory clarity, strong institutions and real economic outcomes. Nairobi is positioning itself as Africa’s trusted platform for capital, innovation and regulated digital assets, offering active facilitation, sandbox support and targeted incentives for regional headquarters, holding companies, venture capital and private equity funds, and high-growth startups,” he said.
“We will compete on regulatory quality, not regulatory arbitrage — and we are open for serious business.”
Discussions also highlighted Kenya’s progress in establishing a clear regulatory framework for digital and virtual asset service providers, following the enactment of the Virtual Asset Service Providers Act and subsequent regulations.
This framework positions Nairobi as a competitive base for international digital asset firms seeking to serve African markets from a stable and well-governed jurisdiction.
Founder and Managing Partner of ChainBLX SPC Karl Seelig, welcomed the engagement.
“Kenya’s approach combines regulatory certainty with a strong innovation ecosystem. The collaboration with NIFC reflects a shared commitment to building compliant, scalable digital infrastructure with real commercial relevance.”
SCC Fund SP Fund CEO Dr Yutaka Niihara added: “Kenya is demonstrating how forward-looking regulation and digital infrastructure can support trusted innovation at scale. The discussions in Davos reflect growing confidence in Nairobi as a regional platform.”
In parallel, NIFC engagements underscored Kenya’s advancing work on national capital platforms, including the National Infrastructure Fund and sovereign investment frameworks, aimed at mobilising long-term private capital and strengthening project delivery.
The Nairobi International Financial Centre Authority reaffirmed that Nairobi is open to international firms across financial services, fintech, digital assets, carbon markets, and green finance, offering regulatory clarity, deep talent, and strategic access to African markets.
As global capital increasingly prioritises jurisdictions that combine innovation with trust, Kenya continues to position itself as a credible and competitive partner for long-term investment.