Nguo Yetu, an apparel company from the Kenyan export processing zone (EPZ) plans to engage Kenyans working abroad, including the United States to expand its distribution footprint. With 300 employees, the company plans to enter partnerships with foreign companies in strategic markets.
The company plans to take advantage of trade agreements like the African Growth Opportunity Act, which guarantees entry for Kenyan apparel into the US market duty-free and quota-free, said Sheila Muirara, CEO. The main objective is to create opportunities for Kenyans as well as project Kenya as a hub for manufacturing globally, added Muirara.
Economic Survey estimates Kenyan textiles and apparels exporters to the United States under AGOA to have earned a combined Sh46 billion in 2019. According to data from the Export Processing Zone Authority (EPZA), 24 companies operate at the EPZs and employ 49,000 Kenyans last year.