Introduction
East Africa continues to demonstrate remarkable economic resilience and investment potential across multiple sectors. The East African Community (EAC) recorded a surge in international merchandise trade in Q2 2025, with total trade rising 28.4% to USD 38.2 billion and exports jumping 40.5% to USD 18.6 billion, reflecting growing global demand and strengthening intra-African trade. Across the region, countries are advancing strategic initiatives to foster growth and investment. In Tanzania, President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s re-election has accelerated public investment reforms, with the Office of the Treasury Registrar enhancing governance and digital monitoring across a USD 37.9 billion portfolio of state-owned enterprises. Kenya’s stock market has experienced a remarkable surge, with investor wealth increasing by USD 8.05 billion and total market capitalization surpassing USD 23.2 billion, underscoring growing investor confidence and opportunities in equities. In Uganda, coffee exporters secured USD 3 million in deals at the China International Import Expo, while a strategic partnership with Cotti Coffee promises to expand the country’s coffee footprint across Asia. Rwanda continues to drive industrial transformation, with FEDA’s USD 300 million investment in the Africa Minerals and Metals Processing Platform (A2MP) strengthening local processing and value addition in the mining sector. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kibali gold mine posted a 21% increase in Q3 2025 output, reaffirming the country’s attractiveness for mining investments. Meanwhile, Somalia is inviting EAC MSMEs to trade, invest, and collaborate, reflecting the country’s growing commitment to regional integration and economic inclusion.
Together, these developments signal a dynamic East African region full of investment opportunities, robust trade, and transformative growth across key sectors.
Tanzania
Strengthening Public Investment Oversight
Following President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s re-election, Tanzania plans to expand public-investment reforms. The Office of the Treasury Registrar (OTR) announced a commitment to strengthen oversight, improve governance, and enhance the returns of state-owned enterprises.
Key initiatives include:
- Corporate governance frameworks
- Digital performance-tracking systems
- Stronger monitoring and evaluation
OTR manages a government investment portfolio of USD 37.9 billion across infrastructure, utilities, banking, energy, and manufacturing. Since launching the Public Investment Management System (PIMS) in August 2025, Tanzania has improved transparency and real-time monitoring of SOEs, supporting the country’s transformation agenda.
Kenya
Investor Wealth Surges on the NSE
Kenya’s stock market has posted one of its strongest performances in recent years.
Investor wealth rose by USD 8.05 billion in 2025, lifting the Nairobi Securities Exchange market capitalization above USD 23.2 billion.
The rally is driven by:
- Strong corporate earnings
- Low government bond yields
- Rising appetite for equities
Year-to-date returns reached 53.7%, with blue-chip companies leading the gains. The surge boosts household wealth, strengthens pension funds, and enhances corporate access to capital.
Analysts note that continued growth will depend on economic stability, governance, foreign investor confidence, and regulatory oversight.
Uganda
Coffee Deals Worth USD 3 Million in China
Ugandan exporters secured USD 3 million in coffee deals at the China International Import Expo in Shanghai. Companies such as Meg Rai Coffee, Kwezi Coffee, Inspire Africa, and Elgon Coffee engaged with buyers interested in Uganda’s high-quality beans.
Uganda also signed an MoU with Cotti Coffee, which operates 7,500 shops across 28 countries. The partnership will link Ugandan farmers and processors directly to Chinese consumers.
Uganda’s coffee exports to China have already increased by 190% this year, positioning the country as a key African coffee supplier in Asia.
Rwanda
FEDA Invests USD 300 Million in A2MP
FEDA, the equity investment arm of Afreximbank, announced a USD 300 million investment in the Africa Minerals and Metals Processing Platform (A2MP). The goal is to increase value addition and develop Africa’s mineral processing capacity.
A2MP manages a pipeline of 12 mineral assets and four processing hubs in nine countries. It focuses on minerals such as gold, bauxite, alumina, manganese, and iron ore. New hubs will target rare earths and battery minerals.
The investment is expected to create value-chain integration, industrial clusters, and high-value jobs across the continent.
Democratic Republic of Congo
Kibali Gold Mine Output Up 21%
Kibali, the DRC’s largest gold mine, produced 191,000 ounces of gold in Q3 2025—a 21% increase from the same period in 2024. The rise was driven by a significant ramp-up in open-pit operations.
Year-to-date production reached 498,000 ounces. Barrick Gold, the operator, maintains its full-year target of 688,000 to 755,000 ounces.
Kibali’s strong performance signals renewed confidence in the DRC’s mining sector and its potential for large-scale investments.
Somalia
MSMEs Invited to Invest and Trade in the EAC
Somalia has invited EAC Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises to engage in trade, investment, and collaboration. The announcement was made during Somalia Day at the 25th EAC MSME Expo in Nairobi.
Somalia highlighted:
- Its strategic location linking East Africa to the Middle East and Asia
- Adoption of Kiswahili as an official language
- Opportunities in agribusiness, fisheries, manufacturing, logistics, and digital innovation
- The call aims to boost intra-EAC trade, currently at 12%, with a regional goal to reach 25%.
Upcoming events
121 Mining Investment London 2025
Date: 17–18 November 2025
Time: Full-day sessions (exact timings available upon registration)
Agenda: Connect mining innovators with qualified investors through pre-arranged 1-to-1 meetings, market insights, and strategic networking to uncover high-potential mining opportunities.
How to register:
For Investors click this link (https://london.121mininginvestment.com/page/investor-registration)
to claim your Free Investor Pass and schedule 1-to-1 meetings with mining company executives.
For mining companies click this link (https://london.121mininginvestment.com/page/mining-company-registration) for Mining Company Registration to access investors and showcase your projects.
Who should attend:
- Institutional and private investors seeking high-quality mining projects.
- Mining company executives looking for capital, strategic partnerships, or exposure.
- Analysts, industry leaders, and stakeholders in the mining finance ecosystem.
Key features:
- Pre-arranged 1-to-1 meetings between mining companies and qualified investors.
- Early access to a global pipeline of high-potential mining projects.
- Opportunities to evaluate and invest in diverse mining sectors.
- Insights from top analysts and industry leaders on market trends, economic outlooks, and future affairs in mining.
- Sponsorship opportunities to maximize brand visibility within the mining ecosystem.
Opinion of the week
“Africa’s time is now. We have the networks, the fibre, the youth, what’s stopping us? We must invest beyond just profitability.” — Serame Taukobong, CEO of Telkom Group
Conclusion
As East Africa charts a path of robust growth and regional integration, the week’s developments underscore the region’s investment potential across trade, finance, agriculture, mining, and industrial sectors. From rising exports and a narrowing trade deficit in the EAC to strategic public investment reforms in Tanzania, record-breaking stock market gains in Kenya, and ground breaking deals in Uganda’s coffee sector, investors are witnessing tangible opportunities for wealth creation and economic impact. Rwanda’s industrial initiatives and the DRC’s growing mining output further highlight the continent’s capacity to generate value-added industries, while Somalia’s push for MSME collaboration signals a new era of regional partnerships. Collectively, these trends reflect a dynamic and resilient East African economy, offering both institutional and retail investors avenues for strategic engagement, sustainable growth, and long-term returns. Staying informed, proactive, and aligned with regional developments will be key for investors looking to harness the full potential of this emerging frontier.
Resources
- EAC international (2025)
- Tanzania invest (2025)
- Dawan Africa (2025)
- Xinhua (2025)
- Afreximbank (2025)
- Ecofin agency (2025)
- Business today (2025)
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