This archive report was first published on 1 November 2021.
On November 2, 2021, Equity Group announced plans to fund Kenyan businesses in four major cities in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The move is part of a two-week trade mission aimed at fostering trade and investment relations between Kenya and the DRC.
The DRC is the sixth-largest export market for Kenyan goods, with historical trade linkages and direct air links between Nairobi and DRC's Kinshasa and Lubumbashi.
Equity Group, through its Kenyan arm and DRC subsidiary EquityBCDC, is targeting businesses in various sectors, including housing, infrastructure development, environment, agriculture, education, health, mining, and energy.
According to Equity Group CEO James Mwangi, the lender has gained enough experience in its six markets to support businesses looking to venture into the DRC and the larger East and Central Africa region.
The trade mission, which includes trade exhibitions, business forums, and site visits, is expected to attract over 200 investors and business participants from Kenya, the DRC, and other countries.
Trade, Industrialisation and Enterprise Development CS Betty Maina said the mission will translate into a win for Kenyan firms, particularly agricultural and manufactured goods producers who top the list of exporters to the DRC.
