Shandong Linglong Tire plans a Kenya tyre plant in Mariakani, Kilifi County, investing about US$800 million to build a new manufacturing facility inside the Mombasa Special Economic Zone. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed on 16 September 2025 during the Arise IIP–Kenya Investment Forum at Vipingo Ridge, in the presence of President William Ruto. The project is expected to create over 1,500 direct jobs and support local value chains in coastal Kenya.
The Kenya tyre plant would be sited at Mariakani within the Mombasa SEZ. The MoU indicates an investment of around US$800 million and over 1,500 direct jobs once operational. Authorities say the goal is to deepen local value addition and position Kenya for export-oriented manufacturing in Africa.
The agreement was witnessed by President William Ruto at Vipingo Ridge on 16 September 2025. It was signed by Lee Kinyanjui, Cabinet Secretary at the Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry, and Feng Wang, Vice-Chair of Linglong Group and President & Chair of Linglong Tyre. [Statement paraphrased — no direct quote available].
Linglong’s move follows a period of capacity and brand expansion. Recent Tyre News coverage shows the company leading 2024 global NEV original equipment supply and passenger tyre sales in China, signalling scale to support new overseas output.
The manufacturer has also broken ground on a major plant in Lu’an, Anhui, with high-performance radial capacity and a recycling unit, underscoring broader manufacturing growth that may complement the Kenya tyre plant over time.
The Kenya tyre plant location gives proximity to Mombasa port, a large domestic market, and regional trade corridors under AfCFTA. The Vipingo forum placed SEZs at the centre of Kenya’s industrial policy and highlighted investor support for green-powered parks and export ecosystems.
Tagged with: Kenya tyre plant, Linglong Tire, Kilifi County, Mombasa SEZ, tyre manufacturing, Vipingo Ridge, Arise IIP, William Ruto, Lee Kinyanjui, Feng Wang, African manufacturing, jobs creation
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