Nairobi — Kenya's construction industry is facing mounting pressure from rising input costs, skills shortages and slow adoption of digital tools, issues that dominated discussions at the eighth edition of Big 5 Construct Kenya, which attracted 9,637 industry professionals to Nairobi.
Despite the strong turnout signalling sustained demand for building materials and project services, contractors and developers flagged high material costs, currency volatility and growing compliance requirements as key factors squeezing margins.
Construction contributes more than 6.14 percent to Kenya's GDP, and participants used the forum to examine how projects can remain commercially viable amid tighter financing conditions and heightened scrutiny on safety, environmental standards and risk management.
Exhibitors from more than 20 countries showcased alternative materials, modular construction systems and technology-driven solutions designed to cut costs and shorten delivery timelines. However, uptake remains uneven, particularly among smaller firms constrained by limited capital and technical capacity.
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Skills development emerged as a major concern, with over 1,610 professionals attending CPD-certified sessions focused on regulatory compliance, financial and environmental risk management, site safety and the integration of digital tools into project planning.
Speakers repeatedly pointed to weak project management as a key driver of delays and cost overruns in both public and private projects, calling for stronger planning, accountability and execution standards across the sector.
Discussions on smart construction technologies such as Building Information Modelling (BIM), drones and Internet of Things (IoT) tools centred on return on investment, as firms weighed productivity gains against high upfront costs and training needs.
Participants noted that without clearer industry standards and stronger client buy-in, scaling digital construction technologies across Kenyan sites will remain slow.
The next edition of Big 5 Construct Kenya is scheduled for October 21-23, 2026, as industry players continue to seek practical solutions to cost control, skills shortages and productivity challenges.
