The inaugural Green Business Building (GBB) Forum hosted by the UK government-funded Manufacturing Africa programme/HANDOUT



More than 150 green manufacturing stakeholders from across Africa have convened in Nairobi for the inaugural Green Business Building (GBB) Forum.

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The meeting is a high-level gathering aimed at accelerating sustainable industrial growth on the continent.

The Pan-African forum was hosted by the UK government-funded Manufacturing Africa programme and brought together entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers and industry leaders to catalyse green manufacturing by connecting viable business ideas to capital.

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Organisers said Nairobi was strategically selected as the venue due to its dynamic ecosystem of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which attracted the largest share of start-up funding in Africa in 2025.

Kenya has also cemented its status as a continental renewable energy leader, generating electricity from geothermal, hydro, wind and solar sources, a key enabler for green industrialisation.

At the heart of the forum were pitching sessions where green manufacturing startups presented investment-ready opportunities to more than 30 impact investors.

The deals cut across diverse subsectors including electric mobility, recycling, solar energy, organic fertilisers and other innovative industries driving Africa’s transition to low-carbon development.

Research by the Manufacturing Africa programme indicates that unlocking new green investments could generate annual revenues of between $2 billion and $4 billion (Sh321 billion to Sh520 billion) by 2030.

The same investments are projected to create at least 200,000 direct and indirect jobs in green industries across participating African countries.

Diana Dalton, Development Director at the British High Commission Nairobi, said the forum reflects deepening economic ties between Kenya and the United Kingdom.

“Today’s Forum is a great, green example of the innovation at the heart of the UK–Kenya Strategic Partnership. By connecting green manufacturing entrepreneurs with the investment they need to scale, we’re helping turn bold ideas into real, climate positive businesses that will create jobs. This is our modern economic partnership in action – unlocking Kenyan innovation to drive sustainable growth,” Dalton said.

Thomas Pascoe, Team Leader at Manufacturing Africa, underscored the importance of supporting emerging entrepreneurs at an early stage.

“We are thrilled to support the next generation of African business talent on their journey to growth and success. We are excited to see these businesses connect in Nairobi's vibrant investor ecosystem and firmly believe that supporting these entrepreneurs at this critical early stage will not only drive job creation and tax revenue but also solidify Africa's leadership in green industrial innovation for years to come,” Pascoe said.

The GBB Forum also served as a platform for shaping Africa’s climate-industrial narrative, featuring a blend of established and emerging voices in green manufacturing.

Among the notable speakers were Peter Scott, CEO of BURN Manufacturing; Jesse Moore, CEO of M-KOPA; Bethelhem Dejene, Founder and CEO of Zafree in Ethiopia; Jack Oyugi, Founder and CEO of Vertical Lake in Kenya; and Simon Mnyele, Co-Founder of Lishe360 in Tanzania.