NAIROBI, Kenya, July 14 – Kenyan high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) continue to favour investing locally over the United Kingdom and South Africa, with market familiarity remaining a key driver alongside growing opportunities across residential, commercial, industrial and alternative real estate sectors.
Latest Knight Frank Wealth & Investment Trends data shows that 60 percent of Kenyan HNWIs’ residential property holdings are invested within Kenya, followed by the UK at 25 percent and South Africa at 15 percent.
“Investors are making disciplined allocation decisions based on market familiarity, long-term asset performance, and the ability to actively manage their investments,” said Boniface Abudho, Research Analyst at Knight Frank Africa.
“While international diversification remains important, domestic investments continue to play a central role in portfolio construction.”
The report also shows that data centres (24 percent), farmland (29 percent) and logistics (18 percent) are emerging as preferred investment options among Kenya’s wealthy, reflecting a shift beyond traditional residential property.
“The modern investor is looking beyond conventional asset classes. There is growing interest in investments that combine income, resilience and long-term growth. This reflects a more sophisticated approach to wealth creation,” said Mark Dunford, CEO of Knight Frank Kenya.
