Kigali, Rwanda — May 2026
East Africa’s most significant annual gathering for real estate and hospitality investment is one week away. The 13th annual East Africa Property Investment (EAPI) Summit takes place on 13–14 May 2026 at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Upper Hill, Nairobi — bringing together 400+ global investors, developers, operators, and industry professionals for two days of deal-making, panels, and structured networking, according to the official EAPI Summit website. Running under the theme “Re-Newed Momentum”, the 2026 edition marks a milestone edition for what has become the benchmark annual event for anyone with a stake in East Africa’s property and hospitality markets — and it arrives at a moment when the region is, by any measure, entering a new phase of institutional investment and cross-border capital deployment.
EAPI is produced by API Events and co-locates three distinct forums under one roof: the core EAPI Property Summit, the EAPI Hospitality Forum, and the EAPI PropTech Forum — making it one of the few events on the continent that brings the full real estate value chain into a single venue across a compressed, high-intensity two-day format. Lead sponsor is Mi Vida Homes, with gold sponsorship from Stanbic Bank, and industry support from a roster that includes Knight Frank, CBRE Excellerate, Centum RE, HassConsult Real Estate, Africa Logistics Properties, Tilisi, DHK Architects, and Purple Dot International, among others. Hospitality sector representation comes from Radisson Hotel Group, Aleph Hospitality, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Valor Hospitality, and TUI Blue.
Theme: Re-Newed Momentum and the Institutional Era
The theme selected for EAPI 2026 — Re-Newed Momentum — reflects a deliberate positioning of East Africa’s real estate sector at an inflection point. The EAPI organisers describe the region as having entered its Institutional ERA: years of sustained market growth, improving transparency, evolving capital market structures, and the expansion of asset classes have compounded to attract a new tier of investor — international and domestic institutional capital backing proven, resilient operators rather than speculative early-stage plays. The shift from opportunistic to institutional is the defining narrative of East Africa’s property market in 2026, and the summit’s agenda is structured to explore what that transition means across every major asset class, from residential and mixed-use through to logistics, hospitality, and alternatives.
What the Agenda Covers
In 2026, EAPI will host dedicated sessions across six core topic areas: investment and capital markets, occupier trends, retail, logistics, hospitality, and affordable housing. The inclusion of affordable housing as a dedicated discussion thread reflects the urgency of the sector across the region — Kenya alone has a housing deficit of 200,000 units per year, and projects such as the Kibera Soweto East Zone B development (currently over 80% complete) are demonstrating that state-led delivery at scale is possible. The logistics and occupier sessions reflect the rapid growth of East Africa’s e-commerce and last-mile delivery sector, which is driving new demand for industrial and warehousing space in the corridor cities surrounding Nairobi and Kampala. The PropTech forum, running alongside the main summit, is expected to feature digital property platforms, data analytics tools, and the growing applications of AI and blockchain in African property transactions.
2026 Speakers
The confirmed speaker lineup for EAPI 2026 brings together C-suite leadership from East Africa’s most active development, investment, and advisory organisations. Confirmed speakers include:
- Samuel Kariuki — CEO, Mi Vida Homes
- Niyi Adeleye — Head: Real Estate Finance – Africa Regions, Standard Bank Group
- Daniel Trappler — Senior Director: Development, Radisson Hotel Group
- Kavita Doshi — Managing Director, Innova Properties
- Raghav Gandhi — CEO, Africa Logistics Properties
- Sakina Hassanali — Co-CEO and Creative Director, HassConsult Real Estate
- Kenneth Mbae — CEO, Centum RE
- Mercy Thuo — Acting Executive Director, CPF Capital & Advisory Limited
- Wayne Troughton — CEO, HTI Consulting
- Bani Haddad — Founder & CEO, Aleph Hospitality
- Christopher Jannou — Managing Partner, Urban Hotel Group
- Shamil Manek — Executive Director, The Mandrake
The speaker mix spans residential development, logistics real estate, hospitality operations, institutional finance, and property advisory — giving attendees direct access to decision-makers across the full spectrum of the market in a format designed for substantive conversation rather than broadcast presentations.
Why This Event Matters for the African Property Market
East Africa has quietly become one of the most active real estate investment regions on the continent. Nairobi’s commercial office market has seen vacancy rates decline from post-Covid highs as demand from technology firms, financial services, and international organisations absorbs new and repurposed stock. Kenya’s logistics and industrial sector is attracting pan-African operators — Africa Logistics Properties, one of the summit’s sponsors and a speaker participant, has been among the most active developers of Grade A warehouse space in the region. The hospitality sector, represented heavily at EAPI 2026, is responding to the continued growth of East Africa as a business travel and MICE destination, with Nairobi consolidating its role as the primary gateway city for the region.
For the affordable housing sector, the presence of dedicated agenda time at an institutional investment event like EAPI signals a meaningful shift. Affordable housing in East Africa is moving from a government-only conversation to a genuine private-sector investment opportunity — underpinned by documented demand, improving financing structures, and government programmes like Kenya’s Boma Yangu that provide a structured pipeline of buyers. EAPI 2026 is where those two worlds — institutional capital and affordable housing delivery — will be brought into direct dialogue.
| Event Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Event name | 13th Annual East Africa Property Investment (EAPI) Summit 2026 |
| Dates | Wednesday 13 – Thursday 14 May 2026 |
| Venue | Radisson Blu Hotel, Upper Hill, Nairobi, Kenya |
| Expected attendance | 400+ global investors, developers, and industry professionals |
| Theme | Re-Newed Momentum — East Africa’s Institutional ERA |
| Co-located forums | EAPI Property Summit + EAPI Hospitality Forum + EAPI PropTech Forum |
| Session topics | Investment & capital markets, occupier trends, retail, logistics, hospitality, affordable housing |
| Lead sponsor | Mi Vida Homes |
| Registration | Register via Tap Tickets |
| Organiser contact | laura@apievents.com (delegates) | murray@apievents.com (sponsorship / speaking) |
Why Property News Africa readers should attend: EAPI is the single most efficient two days you can spend in East Africa’s real estate market — 400+ decision-makers, the region’s most active developers and fund managers, and a structured agenda covering every major asset class. For investors looking to deploy capital into the region, the combination of the property summit, hospitality forum, and PropTech forum under one roof removes the need to attend three separate events to get the same access and intelligence. With institutional capital now actively entering East Africa’s real estate market — as evidenced by Standard Bank’s participation as Gold Sponsor and the confirmed presence of development finance institutions on the speaker and attendee list — EAPI 2026 is where the deals that will define the region’s next property cycle will begin to take shape. Registration is open now via Tap Tickets. The event is one week away.
Sources
- EAPI Summit — Official website: 13th Annual EAPI Summit 2026, Nairobi
- EAPI Summit — 2026 Agenda and speaker information
- Tap Tickets — EAPI Summit 2026 registration portal
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Disclaimer
This article is for informational and editorial purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, legal, or property advice. Readers should conduct their own due diligence and seek independent professional advice before making any investment or property-related decision.
Property News Africa — Editorial Team
Property News Africa is the continent’s dedicated source for real estate project news, market analysis, and investment intelligence. Research assisted by AI. All sources verified by the editorial team.
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