The KenInvest Investment Certificate: who needs it and how to get it

What the certificate is

The Kenya Investment Authority, known as KenInvest, was set up by the Investment Promotion Act, 2004 to promote and facilitate investment, including by helping investors obtain the licences they need. The Investment Certificate is its formal recognition of a qualifying investment. For most investors it is optional; it is a tool to use when its benefits matter to your project.

Who qualifies

The published thresholds are a proposed investment of at least USD 100,000, or its equivalent in another currency, for a foreign investor, and at least KES 1 million for a local investor. KenInvest has in the past discussed varying the foreign threshold by sector, so confirm the current position before you apply.

Meeting the threshold is necessary but not sufficient. KenInvest assesses how far the investment will contribute to:

• employment for Kenyans;
• new skills or technology for Kenyans;
• tax revenue and other government revenue;
• a transfer of technology to Kenya;
• foreign exchange, through exports or import substitution;
• the use of domestic raw materials, supplies and services;
• value addition in processing local, natural and agricultural resources; and
• the use and development of information and communication technology.

What you need to apply

The application forms go in with copies of the company's certificate of incorporation and its constitution. The investment must also meet health, environment and security requirements. If the project needs an environmental impact assessment licence, or the investor needs an entry permit, those must be in place before the certificate is approved.

A strong application tells KenInvest's story for it. It sets out the capital to be invested and its sources, the jobs to be created by year, the skills and technology involved, expected exports or import substitution, and the local inputs the project will buy.

How long it takes

KenInvest is expected to communicate its decision within 10 working days of receiving a complete application. The word complete carries the weight: most delays come from gaps in the file, so assemble everything before you submit.

What the certificate gives you

According to UNCTAD's summary of the Investment Promotion Act, the certificate brings two practical benefits:

• Licences. The holder is entitled to the initial issue of the additional licences the venture needs, unless another law says otherwise. Those licences are deemed issued for up to 12 months, subject to the usual applications and fees, which gives the investor time to complete them.
• Work permits. The holder can obtain entry permits for up to three management or technical staff and three owners, shareholders or partners. The permits are valid for two years and can be renewed.

KenInvest also offers aftercare: help with approvals, introductions to agencies and a point of contact in government when problems arise.

The certificate is separate from tax incentives

Holding a certificate does not by itself lower your tax. Tax incentives come from tax law. For example, capital spending on buildings and machinery used in manufacturing can qualify for an investment deduction, and the Finance Act, 2022 reintroduced a 150% investment deduction for projects of at least KES 1 billion outside Nairobi and Mombasa counties. The deepest incentives sit in the Special Economic Zones and Export Processing Zones.

Is it worth applying?

Apply if your owners or managers need work permits, if your project needs several licences, or if you value a point of contact in government. If your investment is small, runs without expatriate staff and needs only a county permit, the certificate adds less, and your time is better spent elsewhere.

Checked against the sources below on 12 October 2026. This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change with each Finance Act and gazette notice, so confirm the current position before you act, or ask us.