The Construction Industry in Kenya

Infrastructure development is a central pillar of Kenya’s Vision 2030 and in 2015 the US$3bn construction sector contributed 4.8% to the Kenyan economy. The Economic Survey 2016 published by the Kenyan National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) reported that approximately 148,000 people are formally employed in the domestic building and construction industry. Players operating in the sector range from indigenous micro-enterprises to foreign multinational civil engineering and construction giants. Although building and construction contractors are required to be registered with the National Construction Authority (NCA), a significant number of unregistered contractors operate in the informal sector.

A Sector with Promise

Currently 11 of the 43 major infrastructure projects in East Africa are in Kenya. These mega-projects include the US$3.8bn Mombasa – Nairobi Railway Project, the US$2.1bn Tatu City Project, the US$1bn Lamu Port Berths Project and the US$900m Lake Turkana Wind Power Project. Demand for housing continues to grow with role players estimating that more than 210,000 new residential units need to be built annually to keep pace with Kenya’s expanding population. With crude oil production in the Great Rift Valley set to commence in the first half of 2017, many analysts predict that the country is on the cusp of an unprecedented construction boom.

Report Coverage

The detailed report on the Kenyan construction industry focuses on opportunities and conditions in the sector, challenges and key trends, and factors influencing the industry’s success. Profiles for 22 companies are provided, including major Chinese companies such as China Communications Construction Company Limited (CCCC) and its wholly-owned subsidiary, the China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC), which focus on the high value civil engineering and construction market. Also profiled are local companies Spencon Holding Limited and EPCO Builders Limited, as well as Lee Construction, which has been identified by market analysts as ‘the fastest-growing indigenous construction company in Kenya.’