The Chief Executive Officer of the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) K.K. Mutai has underscored the critical role of the private sector in driving regional integration, sustainable trade, and industrialization across Africa during his address at the 18th COMESA Business Forum and Exhibition.

Representing KNCCI at the high-level gathering, the CEO described the forum as a premier platform that brings together voices from both government and business to advance a shared agenda of regional economic transformation. The event, organized by the COMESA Secretariat in partnership with various stakeholders, focused on the theme “Advancing Regional Integration Through Sustainable Trade and Industrialization.”

“Africa’s prosperity will not come from isolated efforts, but through collective action, open markets, and inclusive private sector participation,” the KNCCI CEO K.K. Mutai remarked.

Mr Mutai highlighted that the private sector remains central to COMESA’s economic architecture, accounting for nearly 80% of jobs and over 60% of GDP across its 21 member states. However, he cautioned that challenges such as non-tariff barriers, foreign exchange volatility, infrastructure bottlenecks, and fragmented digital systems continue to impede the full participation of enterprises in regional trade.

He emphasized KNCCI’s commitment to ensuring that Kenyan businesses and regional enterprises are well-positioned to benefit from the COMESA market of over 600 million consumers, calling for enhanced cooperation to unlock trade and investment potential.

In his address, the KNCCI CEO pointed out that the future of COMESA lies in regional value chains that leverage the diverse strengths of member countries.

“By pooling our comparative advantages — from Kenya’s agriculture and technology, Zambia’s minerals, Egypt’s manufacturing capacity, to Uganda’s agro-processing — we can create integrated supply chains that support industrial growth and shared prosperity,” he said.

To advance this vision, he said KNCCI is working closely with the Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry and other regional chambers of commerce to strengthen business linkages through trade missions, B2B forums, and digital trade platforms. Such initiatives, he noted, are crucial in transitioning Africa from exporting raw materials to exporting finished products, which adds more value to the continent’s economies.

Addressing the importance of sustainability and innovation, the CEO urged COMESA member states to embrace green and digital transformation.

“We must promote clean energy solutions, sustainable manufacturing, and digital trade facilitation to ensure our businesses are globally competitive,” he stated.

The CEO further outlined KNCCI’s ongoing initiatives, including the Chamber Business Academy, which builds SME capacity, and partnerships with financial institutions and guarantee funds that improve access to affordable credit. With the right mix of financing, skills development, and technology transfer, he affirmed that African SMEs can thrive in global markets.