Kenya Energy Transition Forum 2026: Ministry of Energy and Huawei Partner to Modernize the National Grid

PHOTO: From (L)Sean Lixiang, Director Huawei digital Power Department, (2nd L) Maureen Mwaniki Director public Affairs Huawei Kenya, (C) Alex Wachira, Principal Secretary State Department of Energy, KPLC representative and (R) Eng.Peter Njenga CEO of KenGen during the Kenya Energy Transition Forum 2026 in Nairobi.

NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 11 – The State Department for Energy under the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum, in partnership with Huawei Kenya, today convened the Kenya Energy Transition Forum 2026 at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Upper Hill, Nairobi.​

The high-level gathering brought together key government officials, industry executives, technology leaders, development partners, and research institutions to map out strategic pathways for modernizing and strengthening the nation’s power grid.​

The half-day forum featured a packed agenda, including a keynote address from Huawei, technical sessions on Kenya’s evolving energy trends, grid-forming energy storage solutions, smart grid technologies and wireless network applications.

The event also marked the launch of the Green Smart Energy Initiative Ceremony and hosted an open panel on actionable next steps for the country’s power sector.​

Delivering remarks on behalf of the Ministry, Energy Principal Secretary Alex Wachira highlighted Kenya’s substantial progress in building a clean electricity system, driven by rich geothermal, hydro, wind and solar assets.

However, PS Wachira emphasized that as variable renewables specifically solar and wind become a larger portion of the energy mix, the underlying infrastructure must evolve to handle grid volatility.

“The energy transition is therefore not simply about adding more renewable generation. It is also about modernising the electricity grid and transforming the way we plan, operate and manage the power system,”said PS Alex Wachira.​

Wachira identified several core technologies essential for stabilizing the grid, including:

● ​Smart grids and advanced grid management systems

● ​Grid-forming energy storage and modern power electronics

● ​Digitalization and improved forecasting tools

● Demand-side flexibility to reduce both technical and commercial losses

​He urged stakeholders to move beyond theory and focus on scalable deployment, investment mechanisms, and supportive policy frameworks needed to unlock these technologies.

Additionally, the forum drew prominent figures across the energy ecosystem, including Hon. Moses Mabonga (Chairman, Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority – EPRA), Eng. Peter Njenga (CEO, KenGen) and a senior Huawei delegation led by James Sun Quan, Deputy CEO of Public Affairs at Huawei Kenya.​

Speaking on the strategic value of technology partnerships, James Sun Quan reiterated Huawei’s commitment to supporting Kenya’s clean energy goals:​

“Technologies such as grid-forming energy storage and smart grid solutions can help Kenya integrate more renewable energy while keeping the grid stable and reliable, and we look forward to continuing this partnership to deliver practical solutions for the country’s power sector.”

PS Wachira while concluding his address expressed confidence in Kenya’s potential to set a benchmark for the continent, emphasizing that the country possesses the necessary natural resources, tech ecosystem, and institutional foundation.

“Kenya has a unique opportunity to position itself at the forefront of Africa’s energy transition, We have the renewable energy resources a growing technology ecosystem and a strong foundation in our energy sector.”

He called on all participants to translate the day’s discussions into tangible investments, strategic partnerships, and immediate deployments.