Heba Salama, CEO of the COMESA Regional Investment Agency, highlighted strong growth in foreign direct investment into COMESA member states at the second COMESA Investment Forum 2026 in Nairobi. She emphasized the region’s rising appeal as a global investment destination.
At the opening session of the second COMESA Investment Forum 2026 in Nairobi, Heba Salama, CEO of the COMESA Regional Investment Agency, reported that foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows into COMESA member states surged 154% in 2024 to a record $65 billion, per the UNCTAD COMESA Investment Report 2025. This growth was partly driven by major projects like Egypt’s Ras El Hekma, but even excluding it, inflows rose 16%, signaling broad investor confidence. COMESA’s share of global FDI doubled to 4%, its portion of developing economies’ FDI climbed to 7%, and it now captures about 67% of Africa’s total FDI. International project finance in the region nearly doubled to $79 billion, with greenfield investments steady at $77 billion. Yet, flows remain concentrated in Egypt, Ethiopia, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Kenya. Salama highlighted sectoral shifts: construction investments grew nearly fivefold, energy and gas up 22%, renewables 67%, and health and education 130%. Agrifood, water and sanitation, and transport infrastructure lag behind. “Africa is not a risky destination — Africa is rising,” she stated, urging a perceptual shift. To maintain momentum, she outlined priorities: bolstering productive sectors and manufacturing, digital infrastructure, education and health, plus better policy and data for investor stability. The forum aims to foster partnerships and unlock growth.