Every ambitious company eventually runs into the same challenge: the limits of its domestic market. To overcome this, Tatu City SEZ offers a powerful solution, as do other Special Economic Zones. They are not just tax-friendly enclaves; they are launchpads for international business, enabling growth not only from local demand but also through global expansion.
A Hub in East Africa, A Gateway to the World
Tatu City SEZ sits on the edge of Nairobi, but its reach extends far beyond Kenya’s borders.
Also read: The Tatu City Experience: How an SEZ is Redefining Life and Business in Kenya
Goods manufactured here are considered “outside” the customs territory of Kenya until they enter the local market. This technical distinction unlocks several advantages:
Preferential Market Access: Products meeting rules of origin can access trade frameworks such as:
- AfCFTA: Duty-free entry into Africa’s 1.4 billion-person market
- COMESA: Reduced tariffs and easier movement across Eastern and Southern Africa.
- AGOA: Duty-free exports into the United States.
- EU-Kenya EPA: Quota-free, duty-free access to Europe.
- Kenya-China agreements: Direct preferential treatment into Asia.
Export-First Orientation: Goods produced within the SEZ can be exported directly without the red tape associated with the domestic customs system. This reduces cost per unit and improves delivery timelines, critical for businesses competing globally.
Domestic Market Flexibility: Goods re-imported into Kenya from the SEZ pay duty only on the non-Kenyan components, lowering costs for hybrid local-global supply chains.
That means a product made in Tatu can be distributed across Africa, shipped duty-free into the U.S., and supplied to Europe, all from a single location.
Many African companies aspire to go global but face logistical and regulatory obstacles. Tatu City’s SEZ status changes the equation:
Reliable Power: 99.7% uptime, with a dedicated 135MVA substation and 93% renewable supply.
Water & Utilities: 24/7 supply with 30 million litres of storage, plus wastewater systems that meet global environmental compliance.
Digital Backbone: 90km of underground fibre for ICT-enabled sectors such as BPO and financial services.
Customs Clearance Onsite: A controlled customs area within the SEZ, reducing inspection and release times dramatically compared to conventional ports.
An established ecosystem of 100+ companies provides proof of concept. More than 100 companies have already established operations in Tatu City Industrial Park, spanning manufacturing, logistics, textiles, cold storage, and BPO.
In just 18 months, the BPO cluster alone has created 5,000 jobs, with another 4,000 in the pipeline. Cold storage facilities in the zone are the largest in East Africa, positioning the City as a key logistics hub for regional agriculture and food supply chains.
The impact of SEZs has been demonstrated globally. When China established Shenzhen as an SEZ, it didn’t just build factories. It created a city that could serve global markets. Dubai’s Jebel Ali Free Zone did the same, now an international logistics powerhouse and home to over 100 Fortune Global 500 companies.
Tatu City SEZ is built on the same model, already attracting over 100 companies in its early years, laying the foundation for Africa’s version of that story.
For businesses looking at Africa, the question is no longer “Is there opportunity?” The question is whether there’s a platform designed to translate that opportunity into scalable growth.
Tatu City’s SEZ provides the answer: a globally connected hub, with the policies, infrastructure, and confidence to scale beyond borders.
From Nairobi to the world, the journey begins here.
For more information, visit www.tatucity.com Business Locations | Tatu City
