Kenyan businesses urged to tap into lucrative Chinese market

Kenya Export Promotion and Branding Agency CEO Floice Mukabana addressing delegates at the CAETE event. [Sofia Ali/Standard]

Kenyan businesses have been urged to tap into the enormous opportunities presented by the Chinese market.

Speaking during a breakfast briefing on the Fourth ChinaAfrica Economic Trade Exposition (CAETE 2025) in Nairobi, the Kenya Export Promotion and Branding Agency (Keproba) Chief Executive, Floice Mukabana, said the recent trade figures painted a picture of strong growth, yet persistent imbalance still remains.

"In 2024, Kenya's exports to China stood at $196.8 million (Sh20.23 billion, marking a steady rise over the past decade. However, our imports from China stood at $4.3 billion (Sh554.7 billion), resulting in a persistent trade imbalance," said Mukabana.

She noted that Kenya's top exports include titanium ores, macadamia nuts, avocado, fish, black tea, coffee, gum and resins.

Mukabana pointed out that there is vast untapped potential, especially in fresh produce, valueadded agricultural and processed foods, textiles, and leather products.

Bilateral trade

The meeting was organised by the Keproba in collaboration with the Chinese embassy, the KenyaChinese Chamber of Commerce and the Hunan HaoTong Group.

It highlighted both the current state of bilateral trade and the untapped potential for Kenyan exporters to diversify their product offerings beyond traditional commodities.

Mukabana said the urgency was repositioning Kenyan products in China.

"Kenya is ranked 56th among China's export markets and 127th as a source market. This disparity signals an urgent need for us to strategically reposition our products and services within the Chinese market," said Mukabana.

She warned that the disparity signals an urgent need for Kenya to strategically reposition its products and services within the Chinese market.

To address that gap, she said Kenya has prioritised export diversification and product adaptation targeting highpotential items such as fish and fish products, black tea, flowers, avocados, macadamia nuts, coffee, and leather products, among others.

Mukabana stated that crucial to the strategy is forging market linkages and collaboration with key stakeholders in China, extending beyond the traditional hubs of Beijing and Shanghai into provinces where demand for Africanorigin goods is burgeoning.

"We are focused on engaging the provinces and cities in China, beyond Beijing and Shanghai, to build partnerships with provinces like Hunan, Guangdong, and Sichuan," she said.

The Keproba boss noted that CAETE 2025 provides an ideal platform to showcase Kenyan products and services and receive direct feedback from Chinese distributors and buyers.

"China remains a very important trade partner with Kenya for two reasons. Number one, it is a source market for our products, and you find that we are able to export; we have been importing from China to the extent of $4.3 billion (Sh554.7 billion). If you compare with what we export, it is $196.8 million and therein is a problem, the first problem, because we have such a disparity in terms of our balance of trade," said Mukabana.

Andrea Li, HaoTong International Transportation Agent Deputy General Manager, spoke about the logistics and partnership on offer.

"This conference gives us the opportunity to show the best products from China or the cargoes from Kenya. For example, the avocado and the flowers and the coffee and the tea, we Chinese like them very much," she said.