In the past week, Pfizer, PwC, and Posterscope, an outdoor advertising company, have announced plans to open offices up in Nairobi to expand their reach on the continent. However, theses companies are far from being first movers, as Nairobi has hosted multinationals such as Citibank, Nokia, and Siemens for some time now.

Why Nairobi and why now?

Kenya is East Africa’s biggest economy as well as its de facto ICT leader in terms of broadband internet availability and cost. The country’s burgeoning middle class and the nascent East African Community, an intergovernmental organization mandated with facilitating trade between the member countries, are harbingers of economic prosperity for not only the countries of East Africa but also for multinational firms who have been waiting for solid footing onto the continent. The potential addition of South Sudan to the EAC could bolster the trade bloc even further.

In addition to promising macroeconomic factors, Nairobi boasts a talented pool of young entrepreneurs especially in ICT – a key reason Excelsior established offices in Nairobi in 2009. With private investment funds pouring onto the continent as well, it seems as if the corporate rationale for opening up regional offices in Nairobi will create value for both global investor and Kenyan citizen alike.

http://www.excelsiorfirm.com/index.p...&id=73&Itemid=

IBM is set to open a research laboratory in Kenya, the first in Africa, in a joint venture with the government.

The facility is expected to drive Kenya’s transition to a modern services economy through research into age-old problems like traffic congestion, low agricultural productivity and slow public service delivery.

“Kenya’s vision is to become the top hub in the continent. IBM’s commitment to undertake the proposed research agenda will contribute greatly to our national priorities as part of Vision 2030,” said President Mwai Kibaki when he signed the agreement for setting up the laboratory with IBM Chief Executive Ginni Rometty.


Intellectual property in form of innovation from the facility will be shared between Kenya and IBM.


The laboratory, which will serve all local universities, starts operations next month at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa.


The research facility becomes the 12th in the world after those in Australia, Brazil, China, India, Ireland, Japan, Switzerland and the US.

The initiative is part of IBM’s strategy to grow its dominance in Kenya and the region.

Some of the research areas that the IBM research centre will cover include next generation public sector, smarter cities and human capacity development by boosting the innovation and engaging entrepreneurs.


“We see significant growth in Africa and specifically Kenya. It makes sense to invest here,” said Tony Mwai, the country general manager at IBM East Africa.

Under the agreement, the government will contribute $2 million (Sh169 million) for the next five years, while IBM will provide the hardware, software and high-end scientific expertise.

Speaking at the press briefing, the IBM vice-president, Dr Robert Moris, said: “I don’t have the exact amount of what IBM will invest in the lab, but it is a significant part of our research investment which is $ 6.5 billion.”

Kenya’s contribution will be spent on utility bills and paying local researchers. The facility is also expected to create employment opportunities for the youth.

fellis: Beautiful thread.

ayox2003: Gallivant, great work from you.

I'm eager to see the beauty of Nairobi as I'll be leaving Nigeria tonight. My ticket slip tells me that I'll be in Kenya 06:00am tomorrow.

I hope to have a swell time for the few days I'm gonna spend there.



Frawzey

ayox2003: I'm lodged at Sagret Hotel here in Kenya which is not far from the Presidential Villa (State House).

Nairobi is really a beautiful city.

I'll be going to the Safari tomorrow as I've got some time to spare.

Will upload pictures when I get back to Nigeria as I'm not here with my USB cable.



Frawzey