British International Investment is asking Kenyan institutions to invest alongside it as the UK development finance institution steps up its focus on private capital. At the Nairobi launch of its 2026–31 strategy on 6 November 2026, BII set out how it wants to put more money into businesses and infrastructure in Kenya and attract other investors. The British High Commission Nairobi and Department for Business and Trade Kenya reported that the strategy aims to deploy about KSh864.3 billion of BII’s own capital across Africa and mobilise up to KSh683.7 billion in private capital.

Key facts

  • Both capital figures are targets across Africa over the strategy period. The Nairobi announcement gave no separate Kenya allocation.
  • BII says it wants to bring in Kenyan institutional investors and improve the systems through which they finance companies and infrastructure.
  • The strategy raises the climate finance target to at least 40% of investments and targets at least 30% of core investments at improving women’s economic opportunities.

What does the plan change for Kenya?

BII’s approach in Kenya has two parts. It intends to increase its own investment in businesses and infrastructure. It also wants Kenyan capital providers to work with it on ways to finance projects and companies that need investment. The announcement describes work with public and private partners to strengthen financial markets and remove barriers to investment. It puts the ability to attract other investors alongside the projects that BII can finance itself.

The announcement gives one measure of earlier activity in the region. BII committed about KSh154.8 billion across East Africa during its previous five-year strategy, according to the British government. That figure covers a smaller region and records earlier commitments. The new KSh864.3 billion figure is a target for BII’s own capital across Africa, so the two figures do not establish a growth rate for Kenya or East Africa.

The government pointed to renewable energy projects in Malindi and Menengai and solar irrigation company SunCulture as examples of existing activity in Kenya. These examples show the range of investments, from power generation to equipment for farmers. Under the new strategy, BII says its climate investments will support renewable power and stronger electricity networks. It also aims to support jobs and economic opportunities for 10 million people across Africa over the strategy period.

How do BII’s capital and outside investment fit together?

The House of Commons Library’s November 2025 briefing describes BII as an investor using UK aid funding and its existing assets to make investments intended to generate a return. The briefing said the government set the strategic direction while BII made investment decisions independently. That structure helps explain why the two headline amounts have different roles. The first is money BII aims to deploy from its own resources. The second depends on other investors putting money to work alongside it.

The Library recorded a climate finance target of 30% of new investment under the 2022–26 strategy. The Nairobi announcement puts the new climate target at a minimum of 40%. The figures describe the intended share of investment under successive strategies. They do not measure additional electricity generated or the amount of capital assigned to any single country.

BII chief executive Leslie Maasdorp called on Kenyan capital providers to identify ways to channel local funds into businesses and infrastructure. For Kenya, the next concrete test will be which local institutions commit capital, and to which projects. The announcement gave no timetable for those commitments.