By Milliam Murigi
Kenya will host a major affordable housing conference next week as stakeholders turn their attention to a challenge that continues to keep millions of Kenyans out of homeownership—access to affordable housing finance.
The fifth Kenya Affordable Housing Conference, organised by the Kenya Mortgage Refinance Company (KMRC), will take place from August 20 to 21 at Lake Naivasha Resort in Nakuru County under the theme, “Scaling the Base: Unlocking Inclusive and Sustainable Housing Solutions.”
The conference takes place as the country seeks to move beyond increasing the supply of affordable housing units to addressing the financial barriers that prevent many Kenyans from accessing homes.
Johnstone Oltetia, KMRC Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, said the conference will address what he described as “the twin gaps” constraining access to housing at scale.
“This year’s theme speaks to both the scale of the challenge and the promise before us: to close the twin gaps that constrain access at scale,” Oltetia said.
He said while Kenya continues to face a shortfall in affordable housing units, millions of citizens are also locked out of housing finance because of limited access to mortgages and informal or irregular incomes.
The conference will bring together national and county government officials, financial institutions, developers, pension funds, SACCOs, development finance institutions, investors, policymakers and international experts to explore ways of expanding affordable housing and housing finance.
“A key focus will be how to extend housing finance beyond the formal sector to reach informal workers, micro-entrepreneurs, SACCO members and other underserved groups who have traditionally struggled to access mortgage financing,” he said.
Experts from Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania and India are expected to discuss emerging financing models aimed at broadening affordability and strengthening the financial resilience of low- and middle-income households.
The two-day meeting will also explore blended finance, development finance institutions and mortgage liquidity facilities, alongside land administration reforms, title regularisation and improved land governance as possible ways of accelerating housing delivery and unlocking investment.
Climate resilience will also feature prominently, with stakeholders expected to discuss green buildings, climate adaptation and resource-efficient housing while maintaining affordability.
Technology and artificial intelligence will form another part of the discussions, particularly their potential to reduce construction costs, improve efficiency and speed up project delivery.
The conference will also examine housing market trends and data, including Kenya’s Residential Property Price Index, to provide insights into affordability, demand, investment patterns and the effectiveness of housing interventions.
Homeowners will also share their experiences of the opportunities and barriers encountered on the path to homeownership, with organisers seeking to ensure that policy discussions remain grounded in the realities of Kenyan households.
The event will culminate in the inaugural Kenya Affordable Housing Awards, which will recognise primary mortgage lenders for leadership, innovation, partnerships, sustainability and efforts to expand homeownership.
