Equity Bank’s German Desk initiative is bearing fruit just eight months after its launch, with progress in enhancing trade and investment relations between East Africa and Germany.
Speaking during the inaugural Annual Status Update Meeting held in Nairobi, German Ambassador to Kenya, Sebastian Groth said the early impact and ripple effect were amazing.
Ambassador Groth discussed how the German Desk, established in partnership with Equity Bank and the German Development Finance Institution (DEG), provides tailored financial services and relationship management support for German and European SMEs operating or seeking to invest in the East African region.
“This initiative is breaking new ground,” Ambassador Groth noted, making reference to over 30 German and European enterprises that have not only extended their operations in Kenya and across East Africa, but also opened bank accounts with Equity and continue to receive support from the German Desk. Hundreds of others are engaging and making inquiries on opportunities.
“Just as East African companies are gaining visibility in Germany and across Europe, we are seeing strong interest from German companies exploring opportunities in East Africa through this DEG-Equity partnership,” said the ambassador, adding that the desk is already creating new business connections and enabling smoother market entry for German enterprises.
Equity Group Managing Director and CEO, Dr James Mwangi, said the status update meeting signals the emergence of a growing movement that unites the precision of German engineering with the innovation and resilience of East Africa.
“When we launched the German Desk, it started as a simple networking platform. Today, this annual gathering has evolved into a catalyst for long-term partnerships, joint investments and sustainable development across the region,” said Dr Mwangi, noting that Equity is proud to be the only bank in Kenya to establish a German Desk, in partnership with DEG.
Dr Mwangi explained that German companies, many of them family-owned and grounded in legacy and trust, are increasingly choosing Kenya as the hub to serve the broader East African market. He stressed that their success in the region is not just about offering world-class products but about forming strong, reliable partnerships with local businesses.
“These collaborations drive localization, enhance market access and create lasting impact. But this initiative goes beyond trade. It is about building bridges between continents, cultures and companies,” said Dr Mwangi. adding, “From agriculture to logistics, health to hospitality, irrigation to leather, we are united by a shared vision: to create value together. This reception is where that vision begins to takeshape—where ideas turn into action, where German precision meets Kenyan agility and where new partnerships are born.”
Barbara von Toll, Director DEG Regional Office, said beyond deepening private sector engagement in trade and investment, the German Desk is also facilitating knowledge exchange such as value addition in agriculture, digital innovation, and green industrialization.
“We will continue to foster the relations between Kenya and German investment and trade. There is more to come from Equity and GEF cooperation,” said Barbara.
The Annual Status Update Meeting was scheduled just before the Made in Germany – Africa fair (MiGA) in Nairobi.