East Africa turns to AI to boost regional investment and trade

By Bertha Ismail

Arusha. More than 600 business leaders and experts from East African Community (EAC) Partner States are expected to gather in Nairobi to examine how digital technologies and Artificial Intelligence (AI) can accelerate investment, industrial growth and regional trade as part of ongoing economic reforms across East Africa.

The discussions will take place during the East African Business & Investment Summit & Expo 2026 (EABIS 2026), scheduled for February 24–25, 2026, and will bring together government leaders, policymakers and business executives from across the region.

Speaking ahead of the summit, the Acting Executive Director of the East African Business Council (EABC), Mr Adrian Njau, said the event will place strong emphasis on AI and digital technologies as key drivers of regional competitiveness, industrial productivity and the creation of new business opportunities both within Africa and globally.

Organised by the EABC in partnership with the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) and the East African Community, the summit will be held under the theme “Promoting private sector-driven regional integration for increased intra- and extra-EAC trade and investment,” and guided by the motto “EAC Rising: From reform to results in a thriving Pan-African market.”

Mr Njau said EABIS 2026 will provide a high-level platform for shaping East Africa’s economic future by harnessing emerging technologies, particularly AI, across key sectors including investment, manufacturing, services trade, regional and continental integration, open skies policies, and transport and infrastructure connectivity.

“Participants will also explore how AI can strengthen digital and e-commerce platforms, support green business initiatives and climate finance, spur the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises, and address illicit trade and non-tariff barriers,” he said.

The summit is expected to attract Cabinet Ministers, chief executives, investors, development partners and business leaders from across Africa and beyond, with a focus on translating regional policies and reforms into tangible trade and investment deals under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

In addition to policy dialogues, the event will feature the launch of a Non-Tariff Measures Self-Assessment Tool through a dedicated Global Trade Information Hub, while exhibitors will showcase innovations, technologies, products and services from across key economic sectors.

Meanwhile, the Chief Executive Officer of the East African Women in Business Platform (EAWiBP), Ms Janice Kimaro, said the prioritisation of AI within the EABIS 2026 agenda underscores East Africa’s commitment to building a modern, competitive economy driven by technology and inclusive growth.

“Technology now sits at the centre of economic transformation. These discussions will be especially valuable for women entrepreneurs by helping them navigate non-tariff barriers and expand their business opportunities across the region,” she said.