NAIROBI, Kenya – The Kenya Mortgage Refinance Company (KMRC) will host the 5th Kenya Affordable Housing Conference from August 20 to 21, 2026, at Lake Naivasha Resort in Nakuru County, with the theme “Scaling the Base: Unlocking Inclusive and Sustainable Housing Solutions”.
The focus of Kenya’s affordable housing agenda is shifting from the supply of affordable housing to inclusive housing financing for all.
Johnstone Oltetia, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of KMRC, observed that 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. On the supply side, the shortfall in affordable units, and on the demand side, the millions of Kenyans locked out by limited housing finance and informal, irregular incomes, and to do so in ways that are inclusive, resilient, and built to last,” said Oltetia.
Key players in the housing ecosystem, such as national and local government officials, financial institutions, developers, pension funds, SACCOs, development finance organisations, housing agencies, investors, legislators, and international specialists, will gather at the conference to discuss workable solutions for increasing access to affordable housing and housing financing.
The legislative, financial, technological, and sustainability measures needed to expand homeownership opportunities for a broader group of Kenyans will be the main topics of discussion.
What delegates will learn from the conference
Delegates will attend several keynote speeches, presentations, and high-level panel discussions over two days to learn more about the future of housing finance in Kenya and across Africa.
Discussions on cutting-edge financing options for housing delivery, including insights from global markets and the function of blended finance, development finance organisations, and mortgage liquidity facilities in expanding affordable homeownership, will kick off the conference.
Additionally, speakers will discuss how better land governance, title regularisation, and land administration changes may speed up home delivery and unlock investment along the housing value chain. Increasing access to housing finance outside of the official sector will be a major topic of discussion during the conference.
Leaders in the industry from Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, and India will talk about how to connect with SACCO members, micro-entrepreneurs, informal labourers, and underprivileged groups who have historically been shut out of the mortgage market.
Emerging strategies that promote equitable lending, increase affordability, and boost low- and middle-class households’ financial resilience will be highlighted during the talks.
The conference will also look at how development finance organisations contribute to crowding in private sector investment and large-scale capital mobilisation. International and regional organisations will discuss how creative partnerships, credit improvement strategies, and catalytic finance can help close Africa’s housing shortfall while promoting sustainable urban development and economic growth.
Some of the key issues that will be covered
The program includes special discussions on climate-resilient housing, green buildings, and the role of housing in healthier communities, acknowledging the growing significance of sustainability within the housing industry.
Experts from the public, commercial, and development sectors will talk about how housing development may incorporate resource efficiency, climate adaptation, and environmental sustainability while still being affordable for homeowners.
Through presentations on Kenya’s Residential Property Price Index and new developments in the housing sector, participants will learn more about market intelligence and data-driven decision-making.
For investors, lenders, legislators, and developers, these workshops will offer evidence-based insights into housing demand, affordability, investment trends, and the efficacy of housing policies. Throughout the conference, technology and innovation will play a major role.
Talks will cover cutting-edge building solutions, contemporary construction technologies, and the use of artificial intelligence throughout the housing value chain.
Leaders in the industry will demonstrate how technology can boost access to housing options in quickly urbanising markets, increase efficiency, lower costs, and expedite project delivery.
The initiative to elevate the voices of homeowners
With viewpoints from South Africa, Japan, and India on effective housing finance systems, delivery methods, and regulatory frameworks that may guide Kenya’s changing housing agenda, the conference will also offer a forum for international knowledge exchange.
To highlight useful lessons that apply to Kenya and the larger African housing landscape, these overseas experiences will be contextualised. Crucially, through real-life impact stories that emphasise the opportunities, obstacles, and lived experiences faced on the route to homeownership, the initiative will elevate the voices of homeowners themselves.
These discussions are meant to guarantee that policy debates stay rooted in Kenyan households’ circumstances and concentrated on providing residents with concrete results.
The conference takes place at a crucial time for Kenya’s housing industry, as stakeholders are increasingly focusing on the larger problem of creating inclusive, sustainable, and scalable housing financing ecosystems rather than just house supply.
The conference aims to produce practical ideas that will expedite homeownership, enhance financial inclusion, and facilitate the effective execution of Kenya’s affordable housing program through discussion, information exchange, and strategic alliances.
The conference will culminate in the first-ever Kenya Affordable Housing Awards, which will honour the leading mortgage lenders whose innovation, partnerships, and leadership are boosting sustainability, increasing homeownership, enhancing customer satisfaction, and redefining what is feasible throughout the housing value chain.
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