The bidding process for private operators interested in managing key Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) assets is expected to move forward following the National Treasury’s approval of a feasibility study for the planned port concessions.
Kenya has been considering the privatisation of key port assets for more than a decade as part of efforts to improve operational efficiency and maintain its competitiveness in regional logistics.
The concession programme is expected to attract approximately USD1.2 billion in private-sector investment, according to The Maritime Executive.
Development
The National Treasury has also begun the process of recruiting an adviser to guide the planned concessions.
The development comes amid sustained growth in cargo volumes at the Port of Mombasa, which handled a record 2.11 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in 2025, up 5.5% from 2 million TEUs in 2024, according to KPA data.
To accommodate rising demand, KPA has pursued port expansion and infrastructure development, including plans for a USD150-million berth expansion and investments in the Dongo Kundu Special Economic Zone (SEZ).
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Concession programme to be implemented in phases
The concession programme will cover various assets at the ports of Mombasa and Lamu, with implementation divided into phases.
The first phase will include Mombasa Port berths 11–14, Mombasa Port Container Terminal 1, Lamu Container Terminal berths 1–3, and the Lamu Special Economic Zone.
These assets are expected to require more than USD610 million in investment, with KPA contributing an additional US$60 million under a public-private partnership (PPP) arrangement.
The second phase will cover Mombasa Container Terminal II (berths 20–22), Mombasa Container Terminal berths 23–24, cargo terminal berths 1–5 and 7–10, Mbaraki Wharf, and the inland container depots in Embakasi and Naivasha.
The second package is expected to attract more than USD620 million in investment.
The phased concession programme is intended to bring private-sector participation into port operations and infrastructure development while supporting capacity expansion and improving efficiency across Kenya’s maritime and inland logistics network.
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James Mario Ajero 
Carmela Calling