President William Ruto has called for investment partnerships between Africa and foreign businesses to deliver measurable benefits to both sides, saying the continent is no longer willing to accept arrangements that allow others to profit while African economies receive limited value. Speaking on Wednesday at the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) Business Summit in Nairobi, Ruto said Africa was seeking partnerships that combine foreign capital, technology and expertise with the continent’s resources, workforce and markets. The summit, running from September 9 to 10, brings together government officials, investors and business executives from the United States and East Africa to discuss trade, investment and commercial cooperation.

Ruto said future investment arrangements should be structured around mutual benefit rather than relationships in which African countries mainly provide resources and markets while most of the value is captured elsewhere. He argued that investment should help African countries make better use of their assets while supporting broader social and infrastructure development. The President’s remarks reflect his administration’s growing emphasis on local value addition, particularly in sectors where Kenya has natural resources, agricultural products, skilled labour and growing consumer markets. Rather than simply attracting capital, Ruto said African countries should seek partnerships that also bring technology, expertise, jobs and access to wider markets.

Ruto used the summit to highlight opportunities for American companies to expand their investments in Kenya. The AmCham summit is focused on strengthening two-way trade and investment between the United States, Kenya and the wider East African region. Its programme covers seven high-growth areas, including agriculture, digital economy, energy and infrastructure, manufacturing, healthcare, critical minerals and the creative industries. Kenya is positioning itself as a regional business hub, with the government seeking additional private investment in infrastructure, manufacturing, healthcare and other sectors. The President’s message was therefore directed both at African policymakers and international investors: Kenya remains open to foreign investment, but wants greater economic value to remain within the country.

The call for mutually beneficial investment comes amid increased government attention to how foreign companies operate and the economic benefits they generate locally. Ruto has recently criticised some foreign investments over what he described as insufficient local economic benefits. In the case of Tata Chemicals Magadi, for example, he said the company had not done enough to establish manufacturing facilities and create additional value in Kajiado County. The company has disputed the government’s position and said it remains committed to engaging through legal and regulatory channels. The broader policy argument is that investors should contribute beyond the initial injection of capital by supporting local employment, skills development, technology transfer, local procurement and processing. For businesses, however, the challenge is ensuring that requirements for local participation remain predictable and commercially viable enough to attract and retain investment.

Ruto’s remarks do not amount to a new investment law or a specific agreement announced at the summit. Instead, they set out the government’s position on the type of partnerships Kenya wants to attract. The AmCham Business Summit provides a platform for that engagement, with the organisers describing the event as a forum for investment, policy dialogue and commercial partnerships between the United States and East Africa. The 2026 summit is expected to feature more than 800 delegates and hundreds of business-to-business and business-to-government meetings. For Kenya, the priority will be turning those discussions into investments that generate jobs, expand production, improve infrastructure and increase local participation in regional and global supply chains. Ruto’s message was clear: Kenya and the wider African market remain open to investors, but future partnerships should create value for both the investor and the communities and economies where the investment takes place.