The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa has unveiled its COMESA Investment Map, an interactive digital platform presenting 180 nationally endorsed investment opportunities across seven priority sectors: agriculture, food industries, infrastructure, energy, supply chains, the digital economy, and technological transformation.
The initiative was announced at the COMESA Investment Forum 2026, held from March 24 to 27 in Nairobi under the auspices of William Ruto, with participation from all 21 member states, regional and international organizations, and over 400 business leaders and investors.
Heba Salama, CEO of COMESA’s Regional Investment Agency (RIA), described the digital platform as a strategic step toward regional integration. She said it provides investors with a single, user-friendly interface to access well-structured opportunities across member states.
“The Investment Map is not merely a project showcase,” Salama said. “It is part of COMESA’s broader integration agenda, linking investors to opportunities across member states, facilitating cross-border transactions, and fostering regional investment partnerships.”
The platform covers all member states, including Egypt, reflecting COMESA’s aim to attract foreign investment, support sustainable and inclusive growth, and boost the bloc’s competitiveness in the global market. Salama added that the map enhances transparency, provides critical data for investment decision-making, and signals the region’s readiness to host international investors.
The second edition of the COMESA Investment Forum provided a high-level platform for dialogue between governments and the private sector. It featured Business-to-Business (B2B) and Business-to-Government (B2G) meetings, workshops, and the annual technical meeting of COMESA Investment Promotion Agencies (IPAs). Discussions focused on increasing Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), improving the business environment, strengthening investment governance, and promoting regional economic integration.
The forum reviewed the 2025 COMESA Investment Report prepared by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development and discussed preparations for the 2026 edition. UNCTAD emphasised that investment incentives should be complemented by infrastructure development, capacity building, digital facilitation, and support for high-growth sectors such as renewable energy and the digital economy.
Chileshe Kapwepwe, COMESA Secretary-General, highlighted the forum’s success in translating regional economic potential into tangible projects, noting that the Investment Map enhances transparency and access to opportunities. Mohamed Kadah stressed the private sector’s role as a growth driver, noting that workshops and bilateral meetings expanded investment opportunities and strengthened regional cooperation.
Salama added that the platform reflects close coordination among member states and investment promotion agencies, providing a practical tool to support economic policies and accelerate project implementation. The forum also launched the Practical Guide to Doing Business in Kenya, detailing incentives and regulatory procedures to improve the regional investment climate.
Through the Investment Map and forum initiatives, COMESA sends a clear message to global investors: the bloc is open for business, committed to sustainable growth, and ready to support cross-border investment and economic integration across its 21 member states, whose combined GDP exceeds $1trn, making COMESA one of Africa’s largest economic blocs in terms of investment potential.
