By Muchira Gachenge
The CMA CGM Foundation announced investments in Kenya’s leading university, The University of Nairobi, and the Kenya Red Cross.
The double investments were revealed during the Africa Forward Summit held in Nairobi on May 11 and 12, 2026.
The Foundation’s President Tanya Saadé Zeenny told The Nairobi Business Monthly in a statement that they were partnering with the Kenyan Red Cross in a bid to empower “young entrepreneurs in Mombasa” and to strengthen humanitarian aid for vulnerable communities.
The investment will aid in expanding the reception capacity of the I.O.Me001 Social Innovation Centre in the country’s Mombasa City. He said efforts to support the I.O.Me001 Social Innovation Centre are also meant to further develop training programs in entrepreneurship and coding.
The innovation center, which acts as a specialized hub for youth and women to develop skills, build businesses, and create local solutions, was launched in September 2023 in Mombasa, Kenya. It is also supported by the French Embassy.
The I.O.Me001 innovation center in Mombasa, a true hub for learning and innovation, has brought together 15 institutions and more than 1,200 students in 2025. In partnership with the French Embassy in Kenya, the CMA CGM Foundation is providing 7 additional containers to strengthen the center’s capacity.
In addition, the Foundation, which at its core supports humanitarian aid and education, is supporting the University of Nairobi in renovating main football field, which serves the five faculties located on the university’s main campus.
The boost is meant to benefit over 50,000 students. The project, being undertaken with he University of Nairobi and the French Development Agency (AFD), is set to enable the creation of a modern, sustainable football field adapted to climate-related challenges.
