The Kenya Investment Authority, known as Invest Kenya, and the Outsourcing Alliance of Kenya have signed a cooperation agreement aimed at attracting high-value investment into the country’s global business services industry.
The partnership will create a coordinated investor pathway for companies operating in Global Business Services (GBS), Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), Information Technology Enabled Services (ITES) and AI-enabled digital operations. It will combine Invest Kenya’s statutory investment-facilitation role with OAK’s industry expertise and commercial networks.
The organisations will jointly manage prospective investors, support faster operational setup and provide aftercare once businesses establish operations in Kenya.
Key Overview
- Invest Kenya and OAK will jointly manage a pipeline of prospective international investors.
- The agreement targets GBS, BPO, IT-enabled services and AI-enabled digital operations.
- Investors will access a coordinated “single front door” for information and facilitation.
- Support will include Special Economic Zone facilitation, critical work permits and investor aftercare.
- Joint international campaigns will initially target companies in the United States and Europe.
- The partnership aims to convert Kenya’s digital talent and infrastructure into investment, employment and service exports.
Partnership Creates a Single Investor Gateway
The cooperation agreement is designed to reduce the fragmented process that international investors can face when entering a new market.
Under the arrangement, Invest Kenya and OAK will jointly source, assess and support high-value investment leads. Companies will be guided through the process of understanding the market, establishing operations and accessing the government agencies required for approvals and licences.
Invest Kenya CEO John Mwendwa said the partnership would combine the authority’s One-Stop-Centre and investor aftercare services with OAK’s commercial and industry expertise.
OAK interim CEO Jonathan Beardsley described the structure as a “single front door” for global companies looking to expand AI-enabled and digital services operations in Africa.
The coordinated approach is intended to make Kenya easier to assess and enter by giving investors one primary channel for commercial information, regulatory support and operational guidance.
Faster Setup and Structured Investor Aftercare
The agreement covers investment promotion, market intelligence, policy advocacy, workforce development and international branding.
Invest Kenya and OAK will also support businesses with operational requirements such as Special Economic Zone entry, critical work permits and coordination with relevant public agencies.
Kenya’s SEZ administrative framework already provides investors with support covering operating licences, work permits, tax registration, utility connections and import-export procedures.
The partnership is expected to organise these services around the specific needs of outsourcing and digital-services companies. These businesses often require rapid recruitment, reliable connectivity, secure offices, data-protection compliance and the ability to deploy specialised international employees during their early stages.
A structured aftercare programme will continue supporting companies after entry. This could help resolve operational problems, encourage reinvestment and reduce the risk of companies relocating to competing markets.
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Kenya Targets High-Value Digital Services Investment
Kenya is seeking a larger share of the global outsourcing market as companies diversify service locations and adopt AI-enabled operating models.
An official sector investment assessment estimated Kenya’s BPO market at approximately $270 million in 2025. The assessment placed the wider GBS industry at about $700 million, with BPO accounting for roughly 40% of the market.
Kenya’s GBS workforce was estimated at around 36,000 employees, while the sector recorded growth of approximately 18.8% between 2023 and 2024.
Under an accelerated growth scenario, the country’s BPO market could approach $1 billion by 2030. The base projection places the market at approximately $639 million.
Kenya’s investment proposition is built around its English-speaking workforce, competitive operating costs, improving digital infrastructure and international connectivity through multiple undersea cables.
The country is also well positioned geographically for companies serving Europe, the Middle East and Africa while maintaining operational overlap with parts of Asia and North America.
Joint Campaigns Will Target the US and Europe
Invest Kenya and OAK plan to conduct coordinated go-to-market campaigns in the United States and Europe.
These campaigns will target companies seeking customer-service operations, technology support, finance and accounting services, data processing, AI training and other digitally delivered business functions.
Earlier digital jobs development work identified limited international visibility and fragmented market information as barriers to Kenya’s growth as an outsourcing destination.
The new agreement attempts to address these weaknesses by combining government investment promotion with industry-led deal sourcing and investor engagement.
A unified message could help Kenya compete more effectively against established outsourcing destinations that already provide investors with clear market-entry pathways and coordinated industry representation.
Investment Conversion Will Determine the Impact
The agreement gives Kenya a more structured approach to attracting global services companies, but its impact will depend on execution.
Important indicators will include the number of qualified investment leads secured, the proportion converted into operating businesses, setup and approval times, jobs created and the value of services exported.
The partnership will also need to demonstrate that investors continue expanding after entering the market. Retaining existing operators and helping them move into higher-value functions may produce greater long-term benefits than attracting companies focused only on basic, low-cost outsourcing.
If successfully implemented, the single-front-door model could help Kenya convert its workforce and digital infrastructure into more technology-driven employment, export revenue and long-term international investment.
Sources: Citizen Digital / Invest Kenya / Special Economic Zones Authority / Genesis Analytics
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