Tatu City, Kenya’s first operational mixed-use Special Economic Zone (SEZ), hosted a Japanese delegation led by the Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including representatives from 25 top Japanese companies.
The delegation, which also visited Tanzania, aims to explore investment and collaboration opportunities in Kenya’s SEZs. The 40-member delegation represented sectors such as manufacturing, technology, automotive, renewable energy, healthcare, agriculture, finance, and infrastructure.
During their visit, the delegation toured businesses in Tatu City, including CCI Global, a 5,000-seat call centre; Freight Forwarders Solutions, a logistics company covering East and Central Africa; Dormans Coffee, a coffee exporter; and Dr. Mattress, a leader in mattress and furniture technologies.
Tatu City’s SEZ currently has 88 companies operational or under development, employing over 25,000 people and representing over KES 400 billion in investments.
These investments come from Kenya, China, the U.S., the U.K., and other countries, as well as international funding organizations like the International Finance Corporation and the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation.
Tatu City is designated as a project of Strategic National Importance under Kenya’s Vision 2030 and related regulations. According to Tatsunori Ishida, Senior Regional Coordinator at the Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japanese companies rank Kenya as the top African country for business interests.