Annual National Conference of Economists (ANCE) 2026
Re-imagining Kenya's Economic Future Beyond Vision 2030
Unlocking Productivity, Industrialization, Innovation and Opportunities for the Next Generation
- 5th–9th October 2026
- Tembo International Convention Centre, Mombasa, Kenya
- 20 CPD points
Five days in Mombasa
Your ticket is scanned at the entrance each day of the conference.
5th–9th October 2026
- Mon 5 Oct
- Tue 6 Oct
- Wed 7 Oct
- Thu 8 Oct
- Fri 9 Oct
A defining moment for Kenya's economic transformation
As Vision 2030 approaches its end, ANCE 2026 opens the national conversation about what comes next.
ANCE 2026 aligns with
- Kenya Vision 2030
- Fourth Medium-Term Plan (BETA)
- East African Community Vision 2050
- African Union Agenda 2063
- AfCFTA
- Sustainable Development Goals
The approaching conclusion of Vision 2030 marks more than the end of a national planning framework. It signals the beginning of a new era that requires fresh thinking about how Kenya generates growth, creates prosperity, and positions itself within an increasingly competitive global economy.
Kenya has made considerable progress in infrastructure, digital connectivity, financial inclusion, regional integration and entrepreneurial ecosystems. These gains have not consistently translated into broad-based productivity growth, quality employment or sustained improvements in household incomes. High costs of doing business, limited value addition, skills mismatch, constrained fiscal space and vulnerability to climate shocks still hold back inclusive transformation.
Kenya's demographic dividend will only be realised if the economy generates productive jobs, nurtures innovation, supports enterprise development, and equips young people with the capabilities to thrive in a technology-driven world.
How can Kenya transform its economy to become significantly more productive, globally competitive, technologically advanced, environmentally sustainable, and socially inclusive over the next generation?
What the conference seeks to achieve
The vision
To strengthen ANCE as Africa's premier platform for evidence-based economic dialogue, shaping transformative policies, fostering strategic partnerships, and advancing innovative solutions that drive sustainable, inclusive, and globally competitive economic development.
The overall objective
To provide a high-level national platform for evidence-based dialogue that informs Kenya's post-Vision 2030 development agenda by generating practical policy recommendations, strengthening partnerships, and promoting innovative solutions for sustainable, inclusive, and competitive economic transformation.
Specific objectives
- Assess Kenya's economic progress, achievements and lessons from Kenya Vision 2030.
- Identify the structural reforms, institutional changes and investment priorities needed to raise national productivity and competitiveness.
- Examine strategies for accelerating industrialization, value addition, enterprise development and regional economic integration.
- Explore the role of innovation, digital technologies, artificial intelligence and research in driving inclusive growth.
- Promote dialogue on human capital, future skills, labour market transformation, and opportunities for youth and women.
- Strengthen collaboration among government, academia, the private sector, development partners, financial institutions and professional bodies.
- Generate evidence-based policy recommendations for national planning, legislative reform, public investment and institutional development beyond Vision 2030.
- Position the Economists Society of Kenya as the country's leading platform for economic thought leadership, policy dialogue and professional engagement.
Four themes shape the programme
The next chapter of Kenya's development requires more than incremental policy adjustments. It calls for a comprehensive rethink of the country's economic model, institutions and priorities.
Enhancing Productivity and National Competitiveness Productivity is the single most important determinant of long-term growth, competitiveness and rising living standards.
Topics Productivity across key sectors; public sector efficiency and service delivery; reducing the cost of doing business; infrastructure quality and logistics performance; export competitiveness; regional and global market integration; regulatory quality; leveraging data, technology and innovation.
Policy result Higher productivity; stronger exports; improved enterprise performance; resilient and sustainable growth.
Accelerating Industrialization, Value Addition and MSME-Led Economic Transformation Industrialization is central to productive employment, higher exports, stronger domestic value chains and economic resilience.
Topics Manufacturing growth; agro-industrialization; domestic value chains; MSME competitiveness; value addition; industrial financing; industrial clusters and special economic zones; regional value chains through AfCFTA.
Policy result Expanded industrial capacity; competitive local firms; stronger value chains; more productive employment.
Harnessing Innovation, Digital Transformation and Artificial Intelligence for Economic Development Innovation is increasingly the primary source of national competitiveness, changing how economies produce, trade, govern and create jobs.
Topics Responsible AI adoption; digital public infrastructure; innovation ecosystems; research commercialization; fintech and digital financial inclusion; cybersecurity; data governance; digital entrepreneurship; technology adoption across productive sectors; future digital labour markets.
Policy result Greater innovation capacity; responsible AI governance; an expanded digital economy; stronger research–industry collaboration; technology-enabled productivity.
Investing in People and Expanding Economic Opportunity People are Kenya's greatest economic asset. Transformation requires investment in human capital, entrepreneurship, leadership and inclusive participation.
Topics Education reform; skills development; the future of work; labour market transformation; youth employment; women's economic empowerment; entrepreneurship; social mobility; inclusive growth; demographic transition.
Policy result A future-ready workforce; higher labour productivity; expanded entrepreneurship; better employment outcomes; inclusive economic participation.
Woven through every session
- Climate Change and Green Economy
- Climate-smart investment, renewable energy, circular economy, carbon markets and green finance.
- Regional Integration and Global Competitiveness
- AfCFTA, regional value chains, export competitiveness, logistics modernization and international investment.
- Financing Economic Transformation
- Public-private partnerships, blended, inclusive, development and green finance, and domestic resource mobilization.
- Governance, Institutions and Public Sector Effectiveness
- Institutional coordination, regulatory quality, accountability, public expenditure efficiency and evidence-informed policymaking.
- Gender Equality and Social Inclusion
- Making sure transformation benefits women, youth, persons with disabilities, marginalized communities and underserved regions.
Eight conference streams
Each stream combines academic evidence, policy dialogue, private sector perspectives and implementation experience.
| Stream | Indicative focus |
|---|---|
| Stream 1Kenya's Economic Outlook Beyond Vision 2030 | Long-term development planning; macroeconomic outlook; fiscal sustainability; public debt management; structural transformation; future growth pathways. |
| Stream 2Productivity, Cooperative Movement, Trade and Enterprise Competitiveness | Productivity measurement; business environment reforms; cooperative sector and MSME transformation; trade facilitation; logistics; infrastructure; export competitiveness; investment climate. |
| Stream 3Industrialization, Manufacturing and Value Chains | Industrial policy; manufacturing competitiveness; agro-processing; local content; industrial parks; regional value chains. |
| Stream 4Innovation, Digital Economy and Artificial Intelligence | Digital transformation; AI governance; innovation ecosystems; fintech; digital finance; research commercialization; the data economy. |
| Stream 5Agriculture, Food Systems and Rural Transformation | Agricultural productivity; climate-smart agriculture; agri-finance; food security; agribusiness; rural industrialization; agricultural value chains. |
| Stream 6Human Capital, Labour Markets and Future Skills | Education reform; skills development; future of work; youth employment; labour market information; entrepreneurship. |
| Stream 7Green Growth, Climate Finance and Economic Resilience | Climate adaptation; renewable energy; green industrialization; carbon markets; nature-based solutions; climate finance. |
| Stream 8Institutions, Governance and Public Sector Transformation | Public sector reforms; regulatory quality; institutional effectiveness; public financial management; decentralization; policy implementation. |
An interactive format that ends in recommendations
Every session concludes with clear policy recommendations that feed into the conference communiqué and the post-conference implementation agenda.
- High-Level Opening Ceremony
- Presidential / Cabinet Policy Address
- International Keynote Lectures
- Ministerial Policy Dialogues
- Executive Roundtables
- Plenary Sessions
- Technical Paper Presentations
- Panel Discussions
- County Economic Forums
- Private Sector CEO Dialogue
- Development Partner Roundtable
- Young Economists Forum
- Innovation and Technology Showcase
- Research Poster Sessions
- Book Launches
- Policy Laboratories
- Exhibition and Knowledge Marketplace
- Closing Policy Dialogue
More than 1,000 delegates from across Africa
Delegates are expected from Kenya, the East African Community, COMESA, ECOWAS, SADC and the wider African continent.
National and county governments, the legislature, the National Treasury and economic planning, regulatory agencies, universities and research institutions, development partners, international financial institutions, private sector leaders, industry associations, financial institutions, MSME and entrepreneur associations, cooperatives, agricultural organizations, professional associations, civil society, youth organizations, women leaders, students and young economists, media, international experts, diplomats and development agencies.
What ANCE 2026 leaves behind
Success is measured by the ideas generated, the partnerships formed and the actions that follow, not by attendance alone.
- ANCE 2026 Conference Communiqué
- A high-level communiqué summarizing the deliberations, key policy messages, stakeholder commitments and priority recommendations for Kenya's post-Vision 2030 agenda.
- Policy Brief Series
- Evidence-based briefs drawn from keynotes, technical papers and panels, with practical recommendations for policymakers, investors, practitioners and researchers.
- Conference Proceedings
- A professionally edited record of keynote speeches, technical papers, presentations, panel discussions and thematic recommendations.
- Future of Kenya Economy Report
- A flagship publication synthesizing the conference's insights into a forward-looking assessment of Kenya's transformation priorities beyond Vision 2030.
- Partnership Commitments
- Strategic partnerships among government agencies, development partners, financial institutions, the cooperative movement, academia, research organizations, the private sector and professional bodies.
- Young Economists Declaration
- A declaration by young economists on Kenya's development priorities, innovation, entrepreneurship, employment, governance and sustainable growth.
Tembo International Convention Centre, Mombasa
Situated within the PrideInn Flamingo Beach Resort & Spa, on Kenya's coast.
The conference carries 20 CPD points of professional development recognition.
How registration works
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Register online
Fill in your details, choose your organisation and county, and upload a recent passport-size photo. It is printed on your lanyard.
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Pay ESK directly
There is no online payment on this site. You pay the Economists Society of Kenya, and ESK Finance confirms your payment.
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Your details are checked
Once ESK Finance has confirmed payment, the event team validates your registration.
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Receive your ticket
Your ticket, with its QR code, is sent to your email once your registration is approved.
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Scan in each day
Your ticket is scanned at the entrance every day, from 5th to 9th October.
Have a recent passport-size photo ready. Questions? Write to ance@esk.or.ke.
Partner with ANCE 2026
A chance to contribute to one of Kenya's most influential economic policy platforms.
- Thought Leadership
- Position your organisation as a champion of evidence-based economic transformation and national development.
- Policy Engagement
- Direct interaction with senior government officials, policymakers, regulators, economists, development partners and industry leaders.
- Brand Visibility
- Prominent visibility across conference branding, publications, digital platforms, media engagement, exhibitions and networking events.
- Knowledge Partnerships
- Co-host technical sessions, sponsor thematic dialogues, launch flagship reports and contribute to policy discussions.
- Corporate Citizenship
- Show your commitment to sustainable development, innovation, inclusive growth, youth empowerment and responsible investment.
- Networking Opportunities
- Meet decision-makers, investors, researchers and academicians, development agencies, financial institutions and entrepreneurs.