Kenya has moved a step closer to bringing private investors into the operation of major port assets after the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Committee approved feasibility studies for facilities at the Ports of Mombasa and Lamu.

🇰🇪 Breaking It Down

The approval covers Mombasa Berths 11-14, Mombasa Container Terminal 1, Lamu Container Terminal and the Lamu Special Economic Zone, clearing the way for the projects to proceed to the procurement stage.

PPP Director General Kefa Seda said on Thursday, August 27, the approval marked a significant progression in the country's port infrastructure investment programme, with market engagement for the transactions expected to begin in September 2026.

"The approval moves these strategic port assets from feasibility into the procurement stage under the PPP framework," Seda said.

📌 What You Need to Know

The development places the port projects alongside a growing list of major transport infrastructure initiatives that Kenya is seeking to develop through private capital, including the proposed Nairobi-Mombasa Road PPP .

In August, the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) began seeking a consultant to undertake feasibility studies and provide transaction advisory services for the 461-kilometre Nairobi-Mombasa Road.

The government plans to expand it into a minimum four-lane dual carriageway.

The move also comes as the government pursues plans to link the Port of Mombasa with Uganda through an interconnected high-capacity road network comprising the Nairobi Expressway, proposed Rironi-Mau Summit Highway and Mau Summit-Eldoret-Malaba route.

Meanwhile, Seda said the projects will help transition the Ports of Mombasa and Lamu towards a landlord-port model, allowing private investors to provide capital, technical expertise and operational capacity while the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) retains ownership and strategic oversight.

Under the first phase, the government plans three separate transactions, including concessions for Mombasa Berths 11-14 and Container Terminal 1, as well as an integrated concession covering the Lamu Container Terminal and Special Economic Zone.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke