Nairobi to Host Gulfood360 Africa, Supporting Kenya’s Trade

Kenya is set to host the inaugural Gulfood360 Africa/Kenya in Nairobi from May 4 to 6, 2027. This event signifies a major step in the country’s efforts to become a leading hub for agribusiness investment and global food trade.

The announcement, made at Gulfood 2026 in Dubai, formalizes Kenya’s selection as the official African host of Gulfood, a globally influential food and beverage sourcing platform. This positions Kenya as a primary gateway for the global food, agribusiness, logistics, and innovation economy.

Strategic Partnership and Economic Agenda

The initiative is jointly endorsed by the Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA), and the Office of the Special Envoy on Technology. It represents a strategic partnership between Kenya and the United Arab Emirates, underpinned by the Kenya–UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). The event aligns with President William Ruto’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), which aims to transform Kenya into a first-world economy through trade expansion, industrialization, and value addition.

Focus and Expected Outcomes

Gulfood360 Africa/Kenya will focus on agriculture, manufacturing, trade, logistics, and technology. The platform is expected to accelerate agricultural value addition, agro-industrialization, small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) participation, export competitiveness, and industrial growth, while strengthening Kenya’s role as a regional trade hub.

Infrastructure Investments

Kenya’s selection is supported by ongoing investments in infrastructure and logistics. These include the expansion of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, upgrades to regional airports, modernization of the Port of Mombasa, and the development of multimodal trade corridors linking Eastern and Central Africa. These projects are backed by President Ruto’s Infrastructure Fund, which targets long-term financing for transport, cold-chain systems, industrial parks, and export-oriented manufacturing.

Kenya’s Position in the African Agrifood Economy

Sub-Saharan Africa holds over 60 percent of the world’s uncultivated arable land. Kenya serves as a key entry point into the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), a market of over 1.4 billion people. As a major producer and exporter of tea, coffee, horticulture, livestock, and processed foods, Kenya offers global firms access to scalable, resilient supply chains. The African food economy is projected to reach $567.31 billion by 2032.

Technology and Innovation

Kenya is recognized as Africa’s Silicon Savannah, with strengths in digital payments, logistics technology, climate-smart agriculture, artificial intelligence, and supply-chain digitisation. Innovation is expected to be a key pillar of the Gulfood360 Africa/Kenya platform. Kenya’s youthful and tech-savvy population will play a central role, with the event showcasing AI-driven agritech, digital trade platforms, smart logistics, and climate intelligence aimed at improving traceability, reducing food loss, enhancing farmer incomes, and building resilient supply chains.

Global Access and Value Chain Development

The platform is expected to provide global buyers with direct access to Africa’s fastest-growing food supply base through a single trade gateway. Nairobi will serve as a center for contract execution, capital mobilization, and cross-border value chain development.

Formalization of the Partnership

The journey toward hosting the event formally commenced with the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Agriculture and Food Authority and Gulfood. AFA Director General Dr Bruno Linyiru and Trixie LohMirmand, Global Organiser of Gulfood, signed the agreement.