- “Inside the Ksh106 Billion French Investment Set to Change Mombasa Port”
French shipping and logistics giant CMA CGM is set to invest 700 million euros (approximately Ksh106 billion) in the expansion and modernisation of the Port of Mombasa under a new agreement signed with the Kenyan government.
The deal was unveiled on Monday, May 11, during the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi attended by President William Ruto and French President Emmanuel Macron, marking one of the largest foreign-backed infrastructure investments announced in Kenya this year.
Under the agreement, CMA CGM will renovate and expand two terminals at the Port of Mombasa in a move expected to significantly increase cargo-handling capacity and improve efficiency at East Africa’s busiest harbour.
The French firm said the investment would focus on modernising freight management systems, improving inland logistics networks and strengthening Kenya’s role as a gateway to East and Central Africa.
In a statement issued during the summit, CMA CGM said the partnership is intended to “support growing trade volumes while improving supply chain efficiency and enhancing regional connectivity.”
The company added that the expansion would position Mombasa as a stronger logistics hub linking African markets to global shipping routes amid rising demand for maritime transport across the continent.
The latest investment comes as the Kenyan government intensifies efforts to modernise key transport infrastructure through Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs).
Earlier in April 2025, the National Treasury announced plans to pursue private-sector financing for upgrades at both the Port of Mombasa and the Port of Lamu following increased cargo traffic at the two ports.
Officials indicated that Kenya was considering infrastructure bonds targeting pension funds and insurance firms to help finance long-term port expansion projects.
Previous government proposals for the Mombasa upgrade included expansion of the container terminal and dredging works to allow larger cargo vessels to dock at the port.
The Port of Mombasa remains a critical trade gateway for several landlocked countries including Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Meanwhile, the Port of Lamu, launched in 2021, was designed to open up northern trade corridors connecting Kenya with countries such as Ethiopia and South Sudan.
Government officials believe the new French-backed investment could accelerate Kenya’s ambition of becoming the leading maritime and logistics hub in the region as competition for cargo traffic intensifies across African ports.
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