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Trade and the economy: the Netherlands and Kenya

The Netherlands is your partner in trade and economic cooperation.

The Netherlands has an open economy that depends heavily on foreign trade and investment.

Gateway to Europe

The Netherlands is a gateway to Europe for foreign companies. Rotterdam is one of the largest ports in the world and Amsterdam Airport Schiphol meets the highest international standards.

Business climate

The Netherlands is an attractive location for foreign businesses, because of its business-friendly regulations and its well-educated, multilingual population.

Do you have plans to do business in the Netherlands? You can find more information on the Doing business page.

Trade and the economy: the Netherlands and your country or region

Trade and the economy: the Netherlands and Kenya

The Netherlands is your partner in trade and economic cooperation. The Netherlands has an open economy that depends heavily on foreign trade and investment.

Gateway to Europe

The Netherlands is a gateway to Europe for foreign companies. Rotterdam is one of the largest ports in the world and Amsterdam Airport Schiphol meets the highest international standards.

Business climate

The Netherlands is an attractive location for foreign businesses, because of its business-friendly regulations and its well-educated, multilingual population. Do you have plans to do business in the Netherlands? You can find more information on the doing business pages.

Trade and the economy: the Netherlands and your country or region

Kenya’s central location in East Africa is attractive to Dutch investors. Investing in this region means access to a market of over 135 million consumers and an abundant, mobile and entrepreneurial young workforce. In recent years, the trade- and investment relation between Kenya and the Netherlands has deepened. In 2014, the volume of trade (total imports and exports) between Kenya and the Netherlands was more than € 510 million. Important Dutch export products are services, chemicals, machinery, transport equipment and engines while major imports from Kenya are horticultural products, flowers, tobacco and raw materials. The Netherlands is the third export market for Kenya.  

Dutch private investment in horticulture has led to the emergence of a large competitive horticultural industry (flowers and vegetable production) which contributes to more than 14% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). In recent years, there is growing Dutch investment outside the traditional horticultural sector, e.g. renewable energy, water and sanitation, infrastructure, logistics, ICT, and financial services.

Doing Business in Kenya

Private sector-led economic growth has since the early 2000s been Kenya’s priority. The Government’s business-friendly stance has rolled over into Vision 2030, which sets development benchmarks for a number of priority sectors. This has been complemented by the integration of the EAC and the establishment in 2005 of a customs union and a common market (2010). Kenya is a member of COMESA with 19 countries and 14 of which are in a Free Trade Area (FTA). Three regional economic blocks i.e. EAC, COMESA and SADC with a combined population of over 600 million people are currently developing a joint framework and roadmap towards a Free Trade Area by 2015.

Kenya has seen an upward trend in economic development, with average GDP growth between 4,5 and 6% for the last number of years. This trend is expected to continue due to extensive economic reforms, a new Constitution and fundamental reforms in the three arms of government (executive, legislature and the judiciary). On the East of Doing Business Index by the Worldbank, Kenya has moved op from rank 129 in 2014 to 92 in 2016, being twice in a row the fastest improver in Africa.
The main sectors contributing to economic growth are: building and construction, infrastructure development, manufacturing, transport and services, agriculture and wholesale and retail. Recent discovery of oil and improvement in infrastructure provide avenues for growth in the future. In addition, there is an increasing focus on Renewable Energy, such as Solar, Wind, Biomass and Geothermal Energy. 

Business laws and regulations

Kenya has been implementing various legal and regulatory changes in an effort to improve its investment climate. They include the Companies Act, the Insolvency Act, the Special Economic Zones Act, the Business Registration Service Act, the Companies and Insolvency Legislation (Consequential Amendments) Act 2015 and Finance Act Amendments 2015. The Constitution of 2010 also brought in a raft of changes that affected acquisition of land and property.

For details on setting up business, the required licenses, immigration, paying of taxes, Land and property, please visit the sites of Kenya on regulations, the website on business licenses and website of ebusiness Kenya.

Important Business Contacts and websites

  • RVO  (the Netherlands Enterprise Agency) – RVO is the central agency of the Dutch government responsible for promoting the international presence of Dutch companies in foreign markets and for supporting private sector development in emerging markets. The organization provides Dutch companies with information and services critical for the pursuit of new opportunities in all markets. Additionally, it also provides financial support for activities contributing to sustainable private sector development in emerging markets.
  • The Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency  - The NFIA is part of the RVO and provides more specific  information about investing in the Netherlands. It also will help investors with government procedures and practical assistance.
  • The Neterlands Business Hub Nairobi - The Netherlands Business Hub Nairobi, in partnership with the Netherlands Embassy, is to promote, support and service Dutch business and economic interests in East Africa and to contribute to strong relations with countries of the East African Community (EAC), Ethiopia and South Sudan.
  • The Netherlands African Business Council (NABC) -  The NABC is a non-governmental private sector organization, driven and funded by its members with the objective to stimulate and promote Dutch-African bilateral trade and investment fostering local private sector development in a sustainable way.
  • The Netherlands Water Partnership (NWP) - The NWP is your gateway to the Dutch Water Sector. Companies, NGOs, Knowledge Institutes and Government have joined forces in this public-private partnership. The partnership, consisting of 200 members, acts as a centre of information on water expertise, policy developments and market opportunities.

Contact details:

For questions concerning economics and trade send an (English) email to: NAI-EA@minbuza.nl. For specific agricultural related questions send an (English) email to: nai-lnv@minbuza.nl