The Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) was honoured to participate in the Regional Single Window Conference held on 8–9 April 2026 at the Emara Ole-Sereni Hotel, Nairobi, convened by the Kenya Trade Network Agency (KenTrade) in partnership with the African Alliance for E-commerce (AAEC).

Held under the theme “Enhancing Africa’s Trade Efficiency and Competitiveness through Digitalization,” the conference brought together over 300 senior government officials, heads of customs administrations, port and logistics authorities, development partners, technology innovators, and private sector leaders from across the continent.

KNCCI CEO, Mr. KK Mutai, joined a high-level panel on “Public-Private Sector Collaboration for Regional Trade Growth – Business Engagement,” where he made the case for deeper, structured partnership between government and the business community in shaping Africa’s digital trade future. Speaking on behalf of businesses across Kenya’s 47 county chapters, the CEO emphasised that:

– The private sector must be brought into regulatory design from the beginning, not invited to “validate” rules already written.
– Trade facilitation performance data captured by systems like Kenya TradeNet should be made public to drive accountability and end the cycle of blame between government and business.
– Practical interventions such as the AfCFTA’s ADAPT platform, mutual recognition of electronic certificates, the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS).
Inclusion must remain central particularly for SMEs, women cross-border traders, and informal traders who stand to benefit most from digital reforms but risk being left behind without targeted support.