The Kenya Property Developers Association (KPDA) organised a conference in Nairobi under the theme “20 Years of Shaping Kenya’s Built Environment” to examine investment opportunities and policy reforms for the built environment.
Delegates included property developers, investors, financial institutions, government representatives, professional advisers and service providers who discussed market trends, financing options and regulatory changes as urbanisation accelerates and housing demand rises.
KPDA chairman Zoravar Singh said the sector needs predictable policies, faster approval procedures, stronger infrastructure planning and innovative financing to draw investment and create sustainable communities.
He warned that fragmented approaches must give way to stronger partnerships that connect policy, infrastructure, financing and development.
The agenda features an international keynote by Nadia Verjee of Expo City Dubai, an economic outlook by economist Christopher Legilisho and seven thematic panels on market trends, financing models, regulatory priorities and emerging opportunities.
Topics will also cover unlocking institutional capital, improving the regulatory environment and adapting to changing demand for residential, industrial, logistics and mixed-use projects, as well as digital infrastructure.
An exhibition will display organisations and solutions that serve the property development value chain, allowing participants to explore products, services and partnerships.
KPDA is using the meeting to advocate reforms that streamline development approvals, revise property taxation, enhance land administration and better align infrastructure planning with land-use decisions.
The association is calling for greater participation by pension funds, institutional investors, banks and development finance institutions to supply long-term capital, and for alternative financing structures to offset high upfront costs and lengthy project timelines.
It also seeks clearer tax frameworks and financing for decarbonisation and sustainable building, arguing that coordinated infrastructure investment is essential for project viability.
KPDA notes that high development costs, limited affordable long-term financing, infrastructure constraints, fragmented approval processes and regulatory uncertainty continue to hinder project delivery despite strong demand for housing, commercial and industrial space.
