Nairobi, Kenya: A business summit to enhance the profile of Nairobi's Eastleigh area as a business hub and to counter negative perceptions of the area will kick off Saturday.
The summit, bringing together corporate leaders of banks, money transfer firms, hospitals and other businesses that have invested heavily in Eastleigh, also seeks to address the bottlenecks that are impeding business in the area.
"Eastleigh is a hub of business in Kenya and the region. Thousands of people go there every day for business or to seek employment opportunities. The area has a huge potential of contributing significantly to the country's economy if it is nurtured well," said Ahmed Mohammed, CEO of Ark Media which has organised the summit.
Mohammed said the major bottlenecks facing Eastleigh are poor infrastructure, lack of garbage collection and general insecurity that has seen at least seven shopping malls broken into by thugs in the last few months.
"We call on the government to provide an enabling environment for business in Eastleigh by investing in infrastructure and security. This will help generate more wealth and jobs in the country," he said.
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He added that the summit will address the negative perception against Eastleigh such as terrorism and piracy which are scaring away potential investments and business.
The summit has been sponsored by Kenya Commercial Bank, Gulf African Bank, Money transfer firm Dahabshiil, Ladnan Hospital, among others.
The summit will be held in Eastleigh's Nomad Palace, one of the four-star hotels in the area that caters to business and leisure travelers.
