One of Kenya’s oldest family-owned business groups is making a major bet on electric mobility, joining a growing list of investors pouring capital into local vehicle production as East Africa positions itself for the next phase of automotive manufacturing.
Simba Corporation, chaired by Kenyan billionaire Adil Popat, is investing $7.7 million (Sh1 billion) in a dedicated electric vehicle assembly line through subsidiary Associated Vehicle Assemblers (AVA), a long-established vehicle assembler based in Mombasa.
The investment will fund specialised EV assembly equipment, factory modifications, technician training and certification programmes as the company expands production capacity for electric vehicles.
The move comes at a time when Kenya is increasingly attracting electric vehicle manufacturers seeking a foothold in East Africa.
Government incentives, including lower taxes on electric vehicles and favourable treatment for locally assembled units, have encouraged companies to establish assembly operations rather than rely solely on imports.
