The Kenya Development Corporation (KDC) has convened its 2026 Customer Networking Forum, bringing together clients, investors, development partners and other stakeholders for discussions on financing, investment opportunities and strengthening business partnerships.

The forum serves as KDC’s annual customer engagement platform, providing an opportunity for businesses financed by the State-owned development finance institution to interact directly with the corporation’s leadership, share experiences and explore opportunities for collaboration.

According to KDC, the event is designed to strengthen relationships with customers while providing a platform for dialogue on access to finance, investment priorities and the evolving needs of enterprises operating across key sectors of the economy.

The discussions are expected to focus on the corporation’s financing products, customer experiences, investment opportunities and approaches to improving access to long-term development finance. Participants are also expected to exchange insights on challenges affecting businesses and identify areas where financial institutions and development partners can provide greater support.

The forum brings together representatives from businesses, government agencies, financial institutions and development organisations, reflecting KDC’s role as Kenya’s principal development finance institution. The engagement also provides the corporation with direct feedback from customers as it reviews its lending programmes and investment priorities.

Unlike conventional investment conferences, the Customer Networking Forum is structured as a stakeholder engagement event aimed at strengthening existing partnerships while creating opportunities for new business linkages among clients and investors. The forum also enables participants to share practical experiences on financing projects, business expansion and investment implementation.

KDC finances projects across sectors considered critical to Kenya’s economic development, including manufacturing, agriculture, healthcare, infrastructure, tourism, education, affordable housing, the blue economy and renewable energy. Through long-term financing, the corporation supports projects intended to expand production, create employment and increase private sector investment.

The corporation was established following the merger of several state-owned development finance institutions to consolidate public development financing under a single entity. It has since assumed responsibility for providing long-term capital to projects that may not readily access commercial financing but are considered economically and socially significant.

Speaking during KDC’s Customer Networking Forum, Director General Norah Ratemo reaffirmed KDC’s commitment to creating impact through strategic partnerships and customer-focused solutions. Our commitment goes beyond providing financing. “We are focused on building meaningful partnerships, unlocking opportunities and creating lasting impact that drives business growth, strengthens industries and contributes to Kenya’s economic transformation,” she said.

The Customer Networking Forum comes at a time when access to affordable capital remains one of the key challenges facing businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises seeking to expand operations amid rising operating costs and tighter credit conditions. The discussions are therefore expected to provide participants with information on available financing options while allowing KDC to assess emerging customer needs and industry trends.

As Kenya continues to pursue industrialisation and private sector-led economic growth, development finance institutions such as KDC remain central to funding projects that require patient capital and longer repayment periods than those typically offered by commercial lenders.

The forum is expected to conclude with engagements between customers and KDC officials on future financing opportunities, partnership frameworks and strategies aimed at improving the delivery of development finance across the country’s productive sectors.