France’s CMA CGM has agreed to invest Ksh106bn ($820m) to modernise and expand two terminals at the Port of Mombasa under a cooperation framework with the Kenyan government.
CMA CGM, which has been present in Kenya since 2005, said the investment will raise cargo‑handling capacity, strengthen regional trade corridors, and enhance Kenya’s connectivity to global shipping routes amid growing maritime demand.
The upgrade is expected to support rising trade volumes, improve supply‑chain efficiency, and position Mombasa as a stronger regional trade hub for local, regional, and international markets. This will also improve inland logistics networks linking Kenya to east and central Africa.
Mombasa hosts east Africa’s largest port and serves several landlocked countries, including Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The project builds on Kenya’s push to modernise port infrastructure through public‑private partnerships. In April 2025, the country’s National Treasury said it was pursuing a PPP model to upgrade the ports of Mombasa and Lamu, with plans to finance the upgrades through infrastructure bonds sold to long‑term investors such as pension funds and insurance firms.
The company added that the agreement with the Kenyan government was part of a broader strategy to develop port infrastructure, integrate logistics, and decarbonise transport chains across Africa.
CMA CGM is currently involved in the operation and development of nine container terminals on the continent, including the Kribi Container Terminal in Cameroon, the Lekki Deep Sea Port in Nigeria, and a new deepwater terminal in Pointe‑Noire, Congo.
