Dubai's Omining unveils first African Site in Kenya's Special Economic Zone
The company's entry comes as global technology players, including Microsoft, expand into Kenya's SEZ framework, with Google and Amazon reportedly completing due diligence for future presence in the region. Omining's new facility will serve as its operational hub, with a 90-megawatt capacity currently being expanded to 200 megawatts. It leverages Kenya's stable electricity costs, investor-friendly regulation, and growing global relevance. Naivasha, where the plant will run, offers other key advantages: a year-round temperate climate ranging from 6 to 30 degrees Celsius, a 100% tax-free regime within the SEZ, and a currency whose value is closely aligned with the US dollar - much like Dubai.
'We're witnessing the beginning of a revolutionary era - the democratization of cryptocurrency mining. By enabling anyone to mine a currency without government control, we're participating in a groundbreaking movement that's reshaping the world's financial landscape,' said Francesco Colucci, Managing Partner at Omining.
In under-electrified markets, crypto mining operations can play a broader role. Kenya has made significant strides in renewable energy generation, yet in rural areas, grid expansion often remains economically infeasible due to low demand. Omining's consistent, large-scale energy consumption and investments in the region can help stabilize long-term revenue for utility providers. This, in turn, adds to the long-term health of both infrastructure and access.
'The infrastructure we're building is about more than just scale,' said Lorenzo Calligaris, CTO at Omining. 'You need to be in environments that understand what you're doing and let you move fast, but responsibly. That's what we've had in Dubai, and now we're applying that playbook in Kenya.'
Kenya's SEZ has emerged as a pragmatic alternative to more saturated destinations. Situated near Nairobi but free of its congestion, it is supported by strong logistics infrastructure. These fundamentals, combined with investor-friendly policies and reliable power supply, are beginning to shift how international firms perceive the region.
Kenya's positioning as an SEZ destination is rapidly gaining traction across multiple industries because of a skilled labor pool, and growing integration with global digital trade systems. Recent public commentary from Kenneth Chelule, CEO of the SEZ Authority, referenced the potential of crypto mining firms like Omining to contribute to SEZ employment and energy monetization.
The early links between Dubai and destinations like Kenya are expected to evolve into deeper, more sustained digital-economic relationships. Omining's move is an early example of what those relationships could look like in practice.
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