President William Ruto has urged Russia to invest in African manufacturing, saying the continent must stop exporting raw materials and importing finished goods.
Speaking at the third Russia-Africa Summit in Moscow on Thursday, October 29, Ruto called for a new economic partnership focused on manufacturing, agricultural production, energy infrastructure and skills development.
He argued that Africa has contributed to global wealth through its natural resources but captures only a fraction of the value generated from them, as much of the processing and manufacturing takes place outside the continent.
“Africa cannot continue to be a supplier of raw materials and a consumer of finished products. We now must become a continent that manufactures, innovates, adds value and competes in the global economy,” he said.
The appeal follows Ruto’s push for Russian investment in Kenya’s proposed $40.02 billion (Sh5.2 trillion) infrastructure financing plan over the next decade.
At a business roundtable in Moscow on Wednesday, the President cited bilateral trade of $380 million (Sh49.4 billion) in 2025, with Kenyan exports to Russia worth $52 million (Sh6.76 billion) against imports of $330 million (Sh42.9 billion). He estimated Russian investment in Kenya at $22 million (Sh2.86 billion).
The figures point to a trade imbalance that Kenya wants to address by attracting investors who can establish production facilities locally rather than rely on the exchange of raw materials and manufactured goods.
Ruto called on Russia to support investments that establish industries in Africa, transfer technical expertise and enable local enterprises to compete in regional and international markets.
He maintained that industrialisation would benefit both sides by expanding production, creating employment and opening new markets for Russian businesses.
“A more industrialised, productive and prosperous Africa is not a threat to anyone. It is an opportunity for the entire world,” he noted.
Africa’s limited role in global manufacturing provides a measure of the challenge. The African Development Bank’s (AfDB) Africa Industrialisation Index 2025, published in May 2026, found that the continent accounted for less than 2 per cent of global manufacturing output and 1.4 per cent of global manufacturing exports.
Manufacturing value added rose from $285 billion (Sh37.05 trillion) in 2020 to $351 billion (Sh45.63 trillion) in 2025.
Ruto also invited Russia to invest in opportunities created by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which aims to integrate markets across the continent and expand trade among African countries.
He said a larger market could support competitive industries, regional supply chains and increased investment, allowing manufacturers based in Kenya and other African countries to reach consumers beyond their domestic markets.
Agriculture is among the sectors Ruto wants Russia to prioritise. He called for cooperation in affordable fertilisers, local fertiliser manufacturing, agricultural mechanisation, irrigation technology and research.
Africa has significant agricultural potential but remains dependent on imported food and farming inputs, he argued. Investment in local production would help countries strengthen food security and reduce reliance on external suppliers.
The President also identified energy infrastructure, engineering, mineral processing and manufacturing as areas where Russian expertise and capital could support industrial development.
He said investments should focus on developing local industries and transferring skills rather than extracting resources without processing them.
Ruto also called for increased international funding to help African countries respond to climate change, citing the effects of droughts, floods, food insecurity and damage to infrastructure.
He said Kenya was expanding geothermal energy, green manufacturing and climate-resilient infrastructure, arguing that economic growth should not come at the expense of environmental protection.
Since hosting the inaugural Africa Climate Summit in Nairobi in 2023, Kenya has advocated for climate justice and affordable climate finance, he noted.
As countries prepare for the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31), Ruto urged greater investment in climate adaptation, early-warning systems, drought-resilient agriculture and technologies that can help economies withstand climate shocks.
“Africa must not be made to choose between protecting the planet and lifting its people out of poverty. We must achieve both,” he said.
The President also called for reforms to the international financial system, arguing that high borrowing costs were limiting African countries’ ability to finance infrastructure, industrial development and climate action.
He urged the expansion of affordable long-term financing and greater mobilisation of local and international capital for development.
Ruto backed the establishment of the African Credit Rating Agency (AfCRA), describing it as a step towards fairer and more transparent assessments of African economies. He also supported reforms to improve debt sustainability and expand development financing.
He said Africa needed to move away from a financing model that perpetuated indebtedness towards one that supports investment, productivity and economic growth.
The President linked the demand for financial reforms to Africa’s wider call for greater representation in global decision-making institutions.
He renewed the continent’s demand for permanent seats on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), arguing that Africa’s 1.4 billion people across 54 nations could not remain without permanent representation.
“The international order must reflect the world as it is today, not the world as it was in 1945,” he said.
The summit comes as Russia seeks to expand its economic and political ties across Africa. Russian President Vladimir Putin put Russia-Africa trade at more than $27 billion (Sh3.51 trillion) in 2025, citing opportunities in energy, mining, industry and logistics.
Ruto urged the two sides to translate their commitments into projects under the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum Action Plan for 2027-2029.
He said the partnership’s success should be measured by investments delivered, industries established and research opportunities created, rather than agreements signed.
Ruto said Africa wanted to participate more actively in shaping global decisions and compete in production, technology and innovation instead of remaining a supplier of raw materials.
“Let this Summit advance a Russia-Africa partnership founded on sovereign equality, productive investment, technological cooperation and shared prosperity,” he said.
