Kenya has cleared the way for private investors to take part in the development and operation of several key facilities at the Ports of Mombasa and Lamu.
The Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Committee has approved feasibility studies for Mombasa Berths 11-14, Mombasa Container Terminal 1, Lamu Container Terminal and the Lamu Special Economic Zone.
The approval moves the projects into the procurement stage, with the government expected to begin engaging potential investors in September 2026.
PPP Director General Kefa Seda said the decision marks another step in plans to attract private capital into major port infrastructure.
“The approval moves these strategic port assets from feasibility into the procurement stage under the PPP framework,” Seda said on Thursday, August 27.
The projects are part of the government’s wider push to use private investment to develop major infrastructure across the country.
How the port plan will work
Under the first phase, the government plans to structure the projects into three separate transactions.
The first will involve a concession for Mombasa Berths 11-14, while another will cover Mombasa Container Terminal 1.
A third transaction will combine the Lamu Container Terminal and the Lamu Special Economic Zone.
The arrangement is expected to move the two ports towards what is known as a landlord-port model.
Under this model, the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) will continue to own the port assets and provide strategic oversight, while private investors will bring in capital, technical expertise and operational capacity.
The government expects the arrangement to help increase the capacity of the ports and improve the country’s position as a regional logistics hub.
The projects had already been identified as priority PPP investments under the Fourth Medium-Term Plan.
According to the PPP Directorate’s April 2026 progress report, feasibility studies for the Mombasa and Lamu projects started in October 2025 and were nearing completion.
Port projects join other PPP plans
The move comes as Kenya continues to look for private capital to finance major transport infrastructure projects.
Among the other projects being considered under the PPP model is the proposed Nairobi-Mombasa Road, which the government plans to expand into a minimum four-lane dual carriageway.
In August, the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) began the process of seeking a consultant to undertake feasibility studies and provide transaction advisory services for the 461-kilometre road.
The government is also pursuing plans to improve the road connection between the Port of Mombasa and Uganda through a high-capacity network linking the Nairobi Expressway, the proposed Rironi-Mau Summit Highway and the Mau Summit-Eldoret-Malaba route.
Seda said the port transactions are aimed at increasing capacity, improving Kenya’s logistics competitiveness and attracting long-term private investment.
He added that the procurement process will include public disclosures and engagement with stakeholders as required under the country’s PPP laws.
The next major step will be market engagement, which the PPP Directorate expects to start in September.