The Nyanza International Investment Conference 2025 kicked off at the Ciala Resort in Kisumu, with Deputy Chief of Staff in the Executive Office of the President, Eliud Owalo, delivering a keynote address that called for urgent and strategic investments to unlock the region’s vast economic potential.
Owalo, speaking before a distinguished audience that included Deputy President Professor Kithure Kindiki – who represented President Dr. William Ruto – cabinet secretaries, governors, principal secretaries, development partners, investors, and stakeholders, painted a compelling picture of Nyanza’s challenges and opportunities, calling for an end to decades of economic neglect and political marginalization.
Owalo said that Nyanza, with its abundant natural resources, resilient people, and strategic location, has been left behind due to historical economic neglect.
He emphasized that despite boasting a highly skilled workforce, vast agricultural resources, and Africa’s largest freshwater lake, Nyanza still struggles with high poverty levels, youth unemployment, and inadequate infrastructure.
He revealed stark statistics that illustrate the region’s economic struggles, noting that 40% of the population lives in abject poverty, while Nyanza counties contribute only 9.3% to Kenya’s manufacturing sector, with each of the six counties having an average Gross County product of 1.5%.
Additionally, critical sectors such as agriculture and health infrastructure remain severely underdeveloped.
“Nyanza has a problem that has lingered for far too long. We have spent 61 years talking about transformation, but today, we must move beyond words to action,” Mr. Owalo said.
Mr. Owalo called for a complete rethinking of Lake Victoria’s role in the region’s economy.
He highlighted the lake’s potential as a gateway to regional trade, an engine for fish processing, and a hub for tourism.
He urged stakeholders to invest in lake transport, value addition in fish processing, and the modernization of processing plants.
“The Lake Victoria Ring Road is a game-changer that will connect communities, boost regional trade, and open up our tourism sector,” he stated.
Mr. Owalo outlined several priority investment areas that can transform the region’s economic landscape.
These include:
• Agriculture: Modernizing Ahero and West Kano Irrigation Schemes to increase rice production, reviving cotton farming to feed the textile industry, and expanding sugar production following the enactment of the Sugar Act 2024.
• Manufacturing and Industrialization: Establishing processing plants for fish, hides, coffee, and sweet potatoes to create employment and increase value addition.
• Mining: Unlocking the potential of Macalder mines in Migori, which hold significant gold, copper, and zinc reserves, through strategic investment.
Mr. Owalo’s address emphasized infrastructure as the foundation for economic growth, citing the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) extension to Kisumu, Malaba, and Isiolo by 2027 as a game-changer for trade and logistics.
Mr. Owalo also identified the 60 MW Sondu Miriu hydroelectric plant, Koru-Soin dam, and the planned 120 MW Magwagwa Multipurpose Dam in Nyamira county as transformative projects that will provide clean energy and water for irrigation, industry, livestock and domestic use.
Mr. Owalo issued a powerful call to action to investors, development partners, and government stakeholders, urging them to seize the immense opportunities in Nyanza.
“The time for talking is over. Now is the time for action. Nyanza’s future must be defined by economic transformation, not political rhetoric. Investors, donors, and the diaspora – you hold the key to unlocking Nyanza’s potential,” he said.
He reassured investors that the Kenya Kwanza administration is committed to inclusivity and economic-driven development, stating that the government will foster investment-friendly policies to support growth.
“This conference is not just a gathering of ideas; it is the birthplace of action. The investments and partnerships formed here will define the future of generations to come,” said Mr. Owalo.
With bold strategies laid out and a call for collective action, the Nyanza International Investment Conference 2025 marks the beginning of what could be a transformative economic journey for the region.
