On 9 September 2026, DP World — the UAE-based ports and logistics operator — and Kenyan investment group GulfCap Africa signed a shareholders agreement at State House in Nairobi, in the presence of Kenyan President William Ruto, to jointly develop Mombasa Industrial Park: a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) of 222 hectares in the Jomvu area of Mombasa. Phase one covers 40 hectares. The project is expected to create more than 20,000 direct and indirect jobs, and more than 60 local and international companies have already expressed interest in taking space. Primary source: Government of Dubai Media Office; confirming coverage: Gulf News (business/markets).
What exactly was signed
Key terms, per the Government of Dubai Media Office statement and confirming coverage in Gulf News:
- Signing date: 9 September 2026; ceremony held at State House, Nairobi.
- Parties: DP World and GulfCap Africa, with support from the Government of Kenya and the Government of Mombasa County.
- Instrument: shareholders agreement — formalising the joint venture (the partnership itself was announced in August 2026).
- Project: Mombasa Industrial Park — a Special Economic Zone (SEZ), 222 hectares in Jomvu, Mombasa.
- Phase one: 40 hectares.
- Jobs: more than 20,000 direct and indirect.
- Preliminary interest: more than 60 local and international companies.
- Not disclosed: exact investment size, detailed phase construction timelines, sector breakdown of anchor residents.
Who are the partners and why the signing matters
DP World is a UAE-based ports and logistics operator headquartered in Dubai, one of the largest global players in its segment, with operations in more than 75 countries. Group Chairman is Essa Kazim; the Africa business is led by Mohammed Akoojee, CEO and Managing Director, DP World Africa. In East Africa, DP World is already an established operator across a network of logistics assets serving the region.
GulfCap Africa is a Kenya-based investment group focused on Mombasa. In this project it acts as the local partner bringing market knowledge, relationships with Mombasa County authorities and federal Kenyan agencies.
Speaking at the ceremony, Kenyan President William Ruto said: "Today we are taking an important step towards Kenya's future economy." DP World Group Chairman Essa Kazim added: "Together with GulfCap Africa, we are moving from ambition to delivery."
What will be built in Mombasa
Mombasa Industrial Park is designed as a multi-purpose Special Economic Zone. Phase one covers 40 hectares; the full perimeter is 222 hectares. The site is in Jomvu, Mombasa's industrial cluster, with logistics links to the Port of Mombasa — the largest on the east coast of Africa — and to the road corridor into the interior of the continent (Kenya → Uganda → Rwanda → DR Congo).
The project targets manufacturing and re-export use cases: assembly, light industry, agro-processing, logistics and warehousing tied to the East African regional market and cross-border export flows. More than 60 companies have already expressed interest — a figure that at the announcement stage typically signals a viable base of demand for the site.
What this means for UAE businesses
Three practical takeaways for UAE companies working with the African market.
First — an operational base in East Africa. Until now, a UAE exporter or distributor targeting the Kenya-Uganda-Tanzania region has typically pieced together separate logistics providers and rented warehousing. A SEZ operated by DP World potentially collapses that fragmentation into a single package: one jurisdiction, one operator, one set of permits and SEZ incentives.
Second — a fit with the live UAE-Kenya CEPA. The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement between the UAE and Kenya is a legal framework that lowers tariffs and streamlines trade operations between the two countries. That framework is what makes the Mombasa project particularly complementary for UAE businesses. For more on how the UAE's CEPA network works and which other countries are inside it, see our overview of the UAE CEPA trade agreement network.
Third — an assembly point for stacked trade chains. On top of UAE-Kenya CEPA sit the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Kenya's Economic Partnership Agreement with the European Union and the East African Community (EAC) regional agreements. For a UAE manufacturer, a base at Mombasa Industrial Park in theory unlocks preferential access to several major markets at once. If your model calls for a matching logistics function inside the UAE (headquarters, distribution centre, re-export hub), see our practical guide to setting up a logistics centre in the UAE (free zones, ports, licences, tax regime).
What was not disclosed
The primary announcement is silent on:
- Exact investment size from the parties and the funding staging by phase.
- Detailed construction timelines and the target operational go-live date for phase one.
- The sector breakdown of residents — which industries will anchor the zone and on what terms.
- Specific SEZ incentives (tax rates, profit repatriation regime, land lease terms).
Final terms for prospective residents will be available through DP World and Kenya SEZ Authority channels once the zone's regulations are approved.
Primary source: Government of Dubai Media Office, 9 September 2026. Confirming coverage: Gulf News (business/markets).
This material is for information only and does not constitute investment or legal advice. Residency terms at Mombasa Industrial Park, tax regimes and go-live schedules should be confirmed with DP World and the Kenya SEZ Authority before any commitment.
