Nairobi is banking on a new private-public collaboration led by CPF Group to accelerate Kenya's push into the continent's top tier of Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) destinations.
The partnership, which also brings together Afriventia Group and the Kenya Tourism Board (KTB), is designed to strengthen Kenya's competitiveness in attracting high-value international conferences, exhibitions and business tourism events.
At the centre of the strategy is an effort to position Kenya among Africa's top MICE destinations within the next three to five years, with the alliance banking on improved coordination between government marketing functions, private sector execution capacity, and event development expertise.
The partners say the approach is anchored on leveraging Kenya's growing infrastructure pipeline and hospitality investments, including the Talanta Stadium project, the redevelopment of the Bomas of Kenya, and continued expansion of international hotel brands in Nairobi and other key cities.
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Together, these developments are expected to expand Kenya's capacity to host large-scale global events and improve its standing in international rankings such as the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) index.
CPF Managing Director Hosea Kili said the alliance is focused on building a more structured commercial framework around the MICE sector.
"Unlocking a high-yield MICE economy requires sophisticated investment structuring and strategic opportunity mapping'. Through CPF PR & Events and our broader Group ecosystem, we are injecting the institutional strategy, sponsorship acquisition power, and commercial execution necessary to turn these major convenings into long-term economic assets for Kenya"
Afriventia Group CEO Christian Gakwaya said the collaboration is banking on Kenya's existing strengths to compete more aggressively in the global meetings market.
"This partnership creates a platform to attract high-value global convenings, build scalable event IPs and unlock long-term economic impact for the country and the region."
KTB Chief Executive June Chepkemei on her part said the partnership is intended to align national marketing efforts with private sector agility to improve Kenya's conversion rate in securing international bids.
"By combining KTB's national marketing mandate with the private sector's commercial agility, we are fully prepared to secure the world's highest impact convenings and firmly place Kenya in Africa's top two MICE destinations within the next five years"
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The alliance will prioritise bidding for global conferences, developing sustainable event intellectual property, and strengthening Kenya's institutional readiness to host diplomatic, corporate and knowledge-based gatherings.
