Premium
Murang’a courts investors with Sh20 billion agricultural bonanza
Murang'a Governor Irung’u Kang’ata.
Murang’a County is wooing investors with over Sh20 billion worth of opportunities in its thriving agricultural value chains, touting itself as a prime investment destination.
Governor Irungu Kang’ata-led county said his county —already a top producer in some of Kenya’s most valuable agricultural sectors— is now shifting focus to value addition and job creation.
“Murang’a is positioning itself as a manufacturing hub to create employment, to create jobs, and also to add value to Murang’a produce,” Governor Kang’ata said.
Speaking during a pre-conference luncheon at Nairobi’s Safari Park Hotel, the governor revealed that Murang’a earned Sh17 billion from small-scale tea in the last financial year, the highest in the country.
“The second only raised Sh10 billion,” he added. The county also commands about 40 per cent of the nation’s avocado output and ranks second in coffee production, just behind Kirinyaga.
County officials said Murang’a leads in avocado production, accounting for 32 per cent of the national output valued at over Sh4.6 billion annually.
Macadamia, coffee, banana, and horticulture are also fast-growing sectors, driven by rising demand for processing and exports.
“Our maize production has been doubled. So we think the next stage is to add value to those products, to create employment, and therefore the whole rationale for this upcoming conference,” Mr Kang’ata said.
The luncheon brought together government officials, investors, agribusiness leaders, development financiers, and trade stakeholders as a curtain-raiser for the Murang’a County Investment Conference 2025, which will take place on June 13–14 at Thika Greens Golf Resort.
The event aims to rally support for the county’s bold economic vision and forge strategic partnerships for industrialization and inclusive growth.
“Already we have land… And it is 70 per cent complete. Already manufacturers have expressed interest,” Mr Kang’ata said, referencing ongoing preparations for investor-ready industrial spaces.
“Murang’a presents one of the clearest investment cases in Kenya’s agricultural landscape. We are here to ensure private capital flows where it can catalyse jobs, exports, and sustainable growth,” said Trade Cabinet Secretary Lee Kinyanjui.
The Kenya Development Corporation (KDC) Director General said the corporation is “ready to walk the journey with Murang’a and its partners providing capital, structuring deals, and de-risking investment to deliver inclusive, lasting impact.”
The 2025 investment conference will feature exhibitions, deal rooms, and sector-specific investment forums in a bid to unlock the full potential of Murang’a’s agricultural economy.