Faced with budgetary constraints and after the breakdown of an agreement with a French consortium, Kenya is engaging with China to accelerate major infrastructure projects.

Kenya has concluded several strategic agreements with China to revive its transport infrastructure projects, which have been stalled in recent years. These agreements, formalized on April 24 during an exchange between Presidents William Ruto and Xi Jinping, come amid budgetary pressures and strong regional logistics ambitions. They follow the cancellation in early April of a €1,3 billion contract previously signed with a French consortium.

Confirmed projects include the widening of the Nairobi–Nakuru–Mau Summit–Malaba highway, the construction of bypasses in Kiambu and Eldoret, and the construction of the notoriously dangerous Nithi Bridge. On the rail front, China has pledged to finance the extension of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) from Naivasha to Malaba, a strategic route linking the Kenyan network to Uganda, the DRC, and South Sudan.

These projects are part of the development of the Northern Corridor, the region's main trade corridor linking the port of Mombasa to landlocked East African countries. The modernization of the Nairobi–Malaba highway and the SGR is crucial for smoothing the flow of goods, reducing logistics costs, and boosting the economies of the counties it passes through. It is also aligned with China's Belt and Road Initiative, which supports regional logistics integration.

Finally, the Sino-Kenyan partnership also relies on Public-Private Partnerships to limit the impact on public debt. The official statement mentions increased Chinese private investment and the development of smart urban transport solutions, particularly in Nairobi, with a view to the sustainable and connected modernization of the country's infrastructure.