The African Legal Support Facility (the “ALSF”) has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting African governments in structuring commercially viable infrastructure projects by facilitating a four-day capacity building workshop in Nairobi, Kenya. Held from 7–10 April 2025, the workshop focused on “The Use of the Public-Private Partnership (“PPP”) model for the Development of Special Economic Zones (“SEZs”)” and brought together key government stakeholders involved in Kenya’s SEZ implementation agenda. The initiative was undertaken at the request of the government of Kenya (the “Government”), through the PPP Directorate at the National Treasury, in collaboration with the Special Economic Zones Authority.
Participants included senior representatives from a cross-section of implementing agencies such as the Special Economic Zones Authority, the Office of the Attorney General and Department of Justice, Konza Technopolis Development Authority, Kenya Ports Authority, PPP Directorate at the National Treasury, and the Kenya Association of Manufacturers. The participants represented legal, technical, financial, and regulatory disciplines critical to SEZ execution.
The ALSF engaged a consortium of experts to deliver the workshop, including DLA Piper Africa, IKM Advocates, ENS Africa, Turner & Townsend, and Cresco Advisory. The advisory team led technical sessions addressing Kenya’s SEZ and PPP legal and regulatory frameworks; international SEZ development benchmarks, including case studies from South Africa, Nigeria and Morocco (Tangier Med SEZ), site assessments of key Kenyan SEZs in Naivasha, Dongo Kundu, and Lamu, technical, financial, and governance challenges facing SEZ development through PPPs, and innovative risk-sharing structures and revenue models to enhance bankability.
Throughout the sessions, facilitators emphasized practical learnings from successful SEZ developments that combined Government support with private sector efficiency. In-depth site diagnostics revealed strengths in Kenya’s SEZ potential—such as access to key trade corridors and geothermal power—as well as challenges related to infrastructure gaps, land readiness, environmental considerations, and inter-agency coordination.
SEZs as Catalysts for Industrial Growth
SEZs remain a cornerstone of Kenya’s Vision 2030 and economic transformation agenda. SEZs offer tailored incentives, streamlined regulatory services, and modern infrastructure to attract foreign direct investment and support export-led growth. When paired with the PPP model, SEZ projects can unlock new sources of capital, innovation, and delivery capacity. By supporting this initiative, the ALSF continues to play a pivotal role in building the legal and institutional foundations for sustainable, inclusive, and investment-ready infrastructure in Africa. As Kenya progresses with its SEZ pipeline, the knowledge gained from this workshop is expected to contribute significantly to the structuring of bankable SEZ PPPs that deliver tangible economic benefits.
About the ALSF
Established by the African Development Bank in 2008, the ALSF assists African governments in negotiating complex commercial transactions, providing legal and technical assistance and developing capacity building tools in the key sectors of infrastructure and public-private partnerships, energy, natural resources and extractive industries, as well as on sovereign debt and creditor disputes..
Contact us
Eve Ehoura, Communication Officer : e.ehoura@afdb.org
ALSF Website : https://www.alsf.int
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