KCB Group CEO Paul Russo joined policymakers, investors and development finance institutions at the 3rd Climate Change Global Business Summit on Africa in Nairobi to discuss how private investment can accelerate climate solutions across the continent, according to a statement circulated after the event.

The summit was held at Villa Rosa Kempinski Hotel and brought together business leaders, senior government officials and sustainability experts to explore financing pathways for Africa’s green transition. The discussions covered mobilisation of capital, climate resilience, and positioning Africa as a destination for sustainable investment, the statement said.

According to the statement, the forum included Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe, private sector representatives including the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA), and global investors including the French Chamber of Commerce. Agenda items included unlocking private investment in climate solutions, strengthening sustainable urban development and mobility, and financing climate-resilient energy and infrastructure.

KCB participated in a high-level panel titled “Climate Finance, Equity, and the Just Transition: Unlocking Private Investments in Kenya and Africa,” which the statement said was moderated by journalist Yvonne Okwara.

During the discussion, Russo said partnerships would be critical to making climate projects bankable and investable. “We have built a team of subject matter experts, and we are therefore equipped to co-create solutions,” Paul Russo, KCB Group CEO, said in the statement.

He also pointed to structural constraints in the climate finance market, arguing that stronger collaboration is needed among development finance institutions, governments and commercial banks to share risk, improve project pipelines and unlock long-term capital, according to the statement.

Russo linked the remarks to KCB’s sustainability strategy, saying the lender is prioritising financing for renewable energy, clean technologies and low-carbon growth. “We have set a target to allocate 25% of our total loan book to green financing, helping accelerate the transition toward sustainable industries,” Russo said.

The remarks come as Kenyan banks and corporates seek to finance energy transition and climate adaptation projects at a time when long-tenor, affordable capital remains limited for many borrowers. In Kenya, demand for funding is being driven by renewable energy build-out, climate-smart agriculture, e-mobility, and resilient infrastructure—sectors that often require blended finance structures, guarantees, or concessional capital to close viability gaps.

For the financial sector, commitments such as allocating a share of loan books to green financing can influence competition for climate-aligned deals and may increase pressure to strengthen internal capacity for climate risk assessment and project evaluation. The availability of investable projects—with robust feasibility studies, permitting progress and credible offtake arrangements—remains a key bottleneck across East Africa, market participants say.

Looking ahead, the push for scaled climate finance is expected to continue through policy engagement and deal structuring between banks, development finance institutions and government agencies as Kenya and the region expand pipelines of renewable energy, clean transport and climate-resilient infrastructure projects.