Nairobi, 30 November 2025, A newly released survey of top business executives across East Africa reveals an interesting, and somewhat contradictory, trend: while most CEOs are optimistic about the performance of their own companies, far fewer are confident about the broader economic prospects of their respective countries.
What the Survey Shows
– According to the 2025 CEO Outlook by audit and consulting firm KPMG, 76% of East African CEOs said they expect growth in their companies in 2026, up significantly from 56% last year.
– In contrast, only 62% of those CEOs said they are confident about their home country’s economy improving, a slight rise from 60% in 2024.
– The gap between corporate optimism and economic pessimism suggests that many leaders are preparing for growth even while doubting macro‑economic stability.
Why Confidence in Firms, But Doubt in Economies?
The report highlights several reasons behind this unusual mix of optimism and caution:
– Companies across the region are increasingly investing in technology, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), to boost efficiency, overcome labor shortages, and streamline operations.
– Many CEOs believe their firms can adapt and grow even if their country’s economy remains uncertain, showing resilience and entrepreneurial drive.
– Traditional concerns such as supply‑chain disruptions and inflation remain, but fewer executives now cite them as key threats compared to previous years.
Regional Impact, What This Means for East Africa
This emerging picture, dynamic, tech-driven companies operating in a fragile economic environment, has several implications for East Africa:
– Business resilience: Local companies may become more self-reliant and innovative to withstand economic instability.
– Shifting investment strategies: Success may hinge less on macro‑economic conditions and more on internal corporate management and agility.
– Greater appeal for technology and service sectors: As firms bet on AI and digital tools, sectors like IT, fintech, logistics and remote services may boom.
– Pressure on governments: With confidence in companies rising but skepticism about national economies, political leaders may face demand for reforms to stabilize macroeconomic conditions, inflation, fiscal policy, foreign investment, debt management.
The 2025 survey suggests East African CEOs are entering a new phase: where optimism about their enterprises coexists with caution about the broader economic landscape. Whether this confidence results in sustained growth or exposes structural vulnerabilities remains to be seen.
But for now, business leaders are betting on their own firms, and increasingly, on technology, to steer them through 2026 and beyond
