Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry (MITI) Launches County Competitiveness Index to Boost County-Level Investments
The Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry (MITI) through the State Department for Investment Promotion (SDIP) today launched the inaugural County Competitiveness Index (CCI) Report in Nairobi — a data-driven tool designed to benchmark the investment readiness of Kenya’s 47 counties and guide county-level policy and investment decisions. The event, led by Cabinet Secretary Hon. Lee Kinyanjui and Principal Secretary Abubakar Hassan Abubakar brought together senior government officials, development partners and the private sector including Dr. Kenneth Chelule, CEO of the Special Economic Zones Authority; Mr. John Mwendwa, CEO of the Kenya Investment Authority; Ms. Norah Buyaki Ratemo, Director General of the Kenya Development Corporation; Ms. Lillian Mwai Ndegwa, Country Director at TradeMark Africa; and Mr. Rodrigo Romoro, representing the European Union Delegation — a clear demonstration of the strong cross-sector collaboration driving Kenya’s investment and competitiveness agenda.
Hon. Lee Kinyanjui described the report as a milestone in evidence-based policymaking. “This is the first step towards availing accurate data. Investment is about solving a problem and this report provides useful information that we can align with,” he said. The Cabinet Secretary stressed government commitment to using the Index to inform action at both national and county levels. “This is in furtherance of the directive given by H.E. President William Ruto. I will personally take the report to the governors and chart the way forward,” he added, noting the political backing for county engagement. “This is a good first start. Much more will be done. The journey has begun.”
The County Competitiveness Index Report provides a comprehensive assessment of county performance across six domains: Government & Institutions; Economic Development; Productive Infrastructure; Human Capital; Business Efficiency; and Climate & Environment. Each domain comprises measurable indicators that together form a composite picture of a county’s capacity to attract and sustain investment. The report also features individual county profiles that highlight strengths, weaknesses and priority areas for intervention.
By consolidating diverse data into a single, comparable framework, the CCI aims to inform policy dialogue, investment promotion and resource allocation. The report’s recommendations focus on strengthening institutional capacity, improving the business environment, investing in infrastructure, addressing the impacts of climate change and developing human capital — all targeted to unlock local investment potential and create jobs.
Principal Secretary Abubakar Hassan Abubakar emphasized the government’s intent to translate findings into concrete interventions. He set out a multi-pronged approach intended to channel investment into counties, including collaboration with county administrations, targeted promotion of county investment opportunities and the development of County Aggregation and Industrial Parks (CAIPs), Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and Export Processing Zones (EPZs) in selected locations. He said the Index will also support uniform county licensing procedures and help scale local initiatives such as Boresha Biashara at the county level. Importantly, he noted: “the report is about competitiveness not competition.”
Mr. Abubakar further indicated that the Index will be a recurring instrument for monitoring progress, stating that the County Competitiveness Index will be conducted either annually or on a biennial basis to track improvements and guide policy adjustments. This cadence is intended to provide timely feedback to counties and investors, enabling a cycle of assessment, action and reassessment.
Methodologically, the CCI blends secondary data and primary survey inputs to construct composite scores for each domain. The rankings and county profiles are intended not as final judgments but as practical tools to identify priority reforms and investment opportunities. Recommendations in the report are therefore action-oriented: strengthen governance and institutional systems; simplify the business environment; prioritise infrastructure investments; implement climate-resilient measures; and invest strategically in skills and human capital development.
The CCI was developed by MITI through the State Department for Investment Promotion in partnership with the European Union. Participants noted that the Index reflects input from national and county stakeholders, private sector actors and development partners, positioning it as a shared resource for Kenya’s devolved governance framework.
The launch concluded with a commitment from national leadership to operationalise the Index findings. The Cabinet Secretary’s pledge to personally engage governors signals an intent to move beyond publication to implementation, while the Principal Secretary’s emphasis on practical instruments — SEZs, CAIPs and standardised licensing points to a pipeline of interventions that can be mobilised around counties.
The County Competitiveness Index release marks a strategic shift toward evidence-based investment promotion at the subnational level. By spotlighting county-level performance across core economic and institutional domains, the Index provides government, investors and county administrations with a shared baseline for action. If the report’s recommendations are followed through with targeted investments and reforms, the Index has the potential to accelerate inclusive economic growth across Kenya’s counties and strengthen the country’s broader Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda.