Kenya today launched an ambitious 15-day mapping exercise targeting all manufacturers across Nairobi County. The groundbreaking initiative, spearheaded by the State Department for Industry in collaboration with KNBS and Kenya Industrial Estates, will create the nation’s first comprehensive industrial database.
“This marks a turning point for Kenya’s industrialization journey,” declared Secretary of Administration Samuel Karanja Njora. “For the first time, we’ll have real-time data showing exactly where our industries are located, their capacity, workforce numbers, and challenges they face.”
The exercise comes as Kenya pushes to implement its Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) and Vision 2030 blueprints. Field teams will fan out across Nairobi, collecting crucial operational data that will inform future industrial policies and investment decisions.
Njora emphasized the project’s critical timing, noting that current industrial data remains fragmented and outdated. “This isn’t just about counting factories,” Njora explained. “It’s about gathering the intelligence we need to create jobs, boost exports, and make Kenya more competitive under the African Continental Free Trade Area.”
The Secretary called on all manufacturers to cooperate fully with enumerators, stressing that the quality of data collected would directly impact future government support programs. Preliminary findings are expected to guide infrastructure development, industrial zoning, and targeted interventions for sector growth.
With Kenya positioning itself as East Africa’s industrial hub, this census promises to provide the missing link between policy and practice, offering a clear roadmap for sustainable industrial growth in the coming decade.
