Kenya Industrial Estates Appoints Nelson Kwamini as Managing Director
The Board of Directors of Kenya Industrial Estates has appointed Nelson Kwamini as the new Managing Director following a competitive recruitment process conducted by the Public Service Commission (Kenya). The announcement was made on March 13, 2026 in Nairobi.
Before his appointment, Kwamini served at the Kenya Water Institute under the Ministry of Water, Irrigation and Sanitation as Director of Research, Strategy and Business Development. He brings extensive professional experience from the banking and public sectors, having previously worked at Co-operative Bank of Kenya and Sidian Bank. He also served at the Universities Fund (Kenya) as Director of Resource Mobilisation and Partnerships.
Speaking during the announcement, Susan Mang’eni, Principal Secretary in the State Department for MSMEs Development, welcomed Kwamini to Kenya’s micro, small and medium enterprises ecosystem. She noted that the sector remains central to the implementation of the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda, which prioritises enterprise growth, job creation and economic inclusion.
Mang’eni said the role of Kenya Industrial Estates is critical in advancing the country’s ambition of increasing the manufacturing sector’s contribution to the national economy. She noted that the government is working towards raising the sector’s contribution to Gross Domestic Product to 20 per cent by 2030.
According to the Principal Secretary, the institution continues to support manufacturers and cottage industries through financing of up to KSh 20 million. She added that the support provided by Kenya Industrial Estates plays a vital role in nurturing local enterprises, strengthening industrial growth and creating employment opportunities across the country.
Kwamini expressed appreciation for the opportunity to lead the institution at a time when Kenya is focusing on strengthening manufacturing and supporting the growth of MSMEs as key drivers of economic transformation.
He noted that his appointment comes at an important moment for the country as efforts continue to expand industrial capacity and empower entrepreneurs. He said he looks forward to working closely with the Ministry, the Board of Directors and other stakeholders to strengthen the country’s manufacturing base.
Kwamini added that collaboration between government institutions, financial partners and entrepreneurs will be important in ensuring that MSMEs are able to grow, scale up their operations and compete effectively within the local and regional markets.
Kenya Industrial Estates is a state corporation and development finance institution operating under the Ministry of Co-operatives and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development. Its mandate is to promote entrepreneurship and industrialisation by providing medium and long term development finance to indigenous MSMEs.
The institution also supports enterprise incubation across the country to help businesses improve survival rates, expand operations and enhance competitiveness in the manufacturing sector.
