• Kenya plans to invest about $350 million over ten years to restore ecosystems and livelihoods in the Lake Victoria basin.
• The government allocated $100 million in the 2027/28 budget for the program’s initial phase.
• The program will rely on concessional loans from the World Bank, national funding, and complementary investments.

The Government of Kenya plans to invest about $350 million over the next ten years to restore ecosystems and improve livelihoods in the Lake Victoria basin. Government officials approved the Multisectoral and Multiphase Program for Ecosystem Stabilization and Socio-Economic Development of the Basin (rMPA) on February 23, during a high-level meeting.

The initiative aims to directly support county-level priorities within the basin. The program focuses on watershed restoration, sanitation services, fisheries development, sustainable agriculture, and the creation of green and blue jobs. “The program also aims to address growing pressures linked to pollution, ecosystem degradation, rapid urbanization, and climate variability,” Kenya’s Ministry of Environment and Climate Change said.

Kenya Targets USD 350 Million Investment in Lake Victoria Basin Restoration Programme

Senior government officials have endorsed a new long-term programme aimed at restoring ecosystems and boosting livelihoods in the Lake Victoria Basin, with Kenya targeting an estimated USD 350… pic.twitter.com/lo5UjI3khY

— State Dept For Environment & Climate Change (@EnviClimateC_Ke) February 23, 2026

The rMPA operates within a regional framework coordinated by the Lake Victoria Basin Commission. The program will draw financing from concessional loans provided by the World Bank, contributions from the Kenyan government, and additional complementary investments.

According to Festus K. Ng’eno, Principal Secretary for Environment and Climate Change, “$100 million has already been allocated in the 2027/28 fiscal year budget for the initial phase of the program.”

A vital ecosystem for the sub-region

The new program follows the Lake Victoria Environmental Management Project phases I and II (LVEMP I and II). Authorities said the earlier initiative “laid the foundations for transboundary environmental management in the basin before its closure.”

Lake Victoria covers an area of 68,800 square kilometers and ranks as the world’s second-largest freshwater lake. According to the World Bank, the lake plays a vital role in East Africa by supporting more than 47 million people across five countries. The shoreline spans Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, while the upper catchment extends into Rwanda and Burundi.

However, the lake has deteriorated over the past four decades due to pollution from agricultural runoff, untreated wastewater, and industrial waste. The World Bank warned that, without urgent action, continued degradation could deepen poverty, increase environmental risks, and undermine the region’s long-term sustainability.

The meeting brought together World Bank representatives, national and local government officials, and representatives from key ministries, highlighting the program’s multisectoral and collaborative approach.

This article was initially published in French by Lydie Mobio

Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum