President William Ruto has explained Kenya’s ambition to host the Grammy Awards.
Speaking on September 9 at the AmCham Business Summit in Nairobi, where the creative industries are among seven sectors being presented as opportunities for investment between Kenya, the United States and the wider East African region.
The President said Kenya’s music, film, fashion, sports and digital industries have the potential to generate exports and employment, but warned that the right infrastructure, financing and market systems must support talent.
“Kenya’s creative economy offers another major opportunity. Our music, film, fashion, sports, and digital talent can become a significant source of exports and employment,” said Ruto.
Ruto Explains Kenya’s Big Plan Behind the Grammy Awards Bid
Ruto said Kenya’s interest in hosting the Grammy Awards should not be viewed as an attempt to bring an internationally recognised awards ceremony to the country.
Instead, he said the objective is to use the opportunity to attract companies and capital that can establish a lasting creative industry ecosystem in Kenya.
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The Head of State said Kenya wants to become a permanent centre of African creative production, positioning the country as a base from which international and African companies can produce, distribute and commercialise creative content.
“Our ambition to host the Grammy Awards is not about one ceremony or one moment of fanfare. It’s about attracting studios, labels, platforms and investors and making Kenya a permanent centre of African creative production,” said Ruto
His remarks came at a summit specifically focused on trade and investment, with AmCham describing the 2026 meeting as a platform connecting government, businesses and investors through policy discussions, investment sessions and business-to-business and business-to-government engagements.
In December 2024, President Ruto said Kenya had submitted a bid to host the Grammys and had already paid KSh500 million.
Kenya Wants Infrastructure, Finance for Creative Talent
Ruto said Kenya’s creative economy potential would not be realised through talent alone.
He pointed to the proposed 15,000-seater Zaria Arena at Nairobi’s Railway City as an example of the infrastructure needed to support the sector.
He said the proposed KSh120 million arena illustrates the scale of the opportunity in Kenya’s entertainment and events industry.
In his address, he said Financing can help creatives produce work at a competitive scale, while distribution systems can determine whether Kenyan productions reach audiences and generate revenue beyond the domestic market.
Intellectual property protection is similarly important to the commercialisation of music, films, fashion designs and digital content because creators and investors need mechanisms that protect ownership and enable them to earn from their work.
The creative economy is one of the seven strategic sectors at this year’s AmCham summit, alongside agriculture, digital economy, energy and infrastructure, manufacturing, health and critical minerals.
Also Read: Grammys President to Visit Kenya Months After Uproar Over Ksh500 M Hosting Fee
Ruto Invites US Industry Leaders to Build Creative Ecosystem
Ruto called on American industry leaders to work with Kenya in developing the creative economy, linking the proposal to the wider commercial relationship between the two countries.
“We invite American industry leaders to work with us in building this ecosystem. These opportunities build on a Kenya-United States partnership that is deep, tested, and proven,” he said.
AmCham Business Summit is designed to deepen trade and investment between the United States, Kenya and East Africa.
The 2026 summit brings together more than 800 delegates from more than 30 countries, with more than 500 planned business-to-business and business-to-government meetings.
The summit’s programme also places the creative economy within discussions on investment, digital trade and regional market integration.
Ruto said the creative-sector opportunity builds on what he described as a “deep, tested, and proven” Kenya-US partnership.
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