Manufacturing & Industrials

Manufacturing and industrials lawyers for domestic and multinational manufacturers in food and beverage, FMCG, building materials and chemicals. We advise on plant and asset acquisition, supply-chain and distribution agreements, employment and union relations, environmental compliance (NEMA), product standards (KEBS) and competition compliance for businesses operating in Kenya's industrial base.

Manufacturing & Industrials Law in Kenya

Kenya’s manufacturing sector is a pillar of the Big Four Agenda and a growing source of formal employment, export revenue and intra-African trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area. OLM Law advises manufacturers, industrial companies, raw-material producers, logistics operators and investors across the manufacturing value chain on the commercial, regulatory and employment issues that arise in this dynamic sector.

The regulatory landscape

Manufacturing businesses in Kenya operate under a web of licences from the Kenya Revenue Authority, county governments and sector-specific regulators such as the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) and the Pharmacy and Poisons Board (for pharmaceutical manufacturers). Employees are governed by the Employment Act and related regulations, while industrial premises face occupational health and safety obligations under OSHA. We help clients stay compliant while staying competitive.

How we help

• Industrial licensing and compliance — KEBS, NEMA and county-government licences, EIA approvals and compliance programmes.
• Commercial and supply-chain agreements — raw-material supply, off-take, distribution and logistics contracts.
• Investment and joint ventures — structuring inward investment, joint ventures and technology-transfer arrangements for manufacturing projects.
• Employment and labour — workforce contracts, collective bargaining, retrenchment and OSHA compliance for industrial operations.
• Trade and customs — import/export compliance, rules of origin, duty relief and AfCFTA tariff optimisation.

Relevant expertise

We draw on our Corporate & Commercial, Employment, Tax and Dispute Resolution teams for manufacturing clients — linking to each of those practice-area pages.

To set up or grow a manufacturing business in Kenya, contact OLM Law.