NAKURU, Kenya– Cabinet Secretary for Investments, Trade and Industry Lee Kinyanjui has lauded RIVA Petroleum’s three-decade growth journey, describing the company as an example of how Kenyan businesses can evolve from local enterprises into nationally recognised brands that create jobs, attract investment and contribute to economic growth.
Speaking during RIVA Petroleum’s 30th anniversary celebrations in Nakuru on Thursday, Kinyanjui said the company’s success reflected the resilience, persistence and long-term vision required to build sustainable enterprises.
“Every successful Kenyan company has a story. More often than not, it is a story of resilience, persistence and the courage to keep going despite the odds,” Kinyanjui said.
He noted that RIVA Petroleum’s transformation from a Nakuru-based business into a national player demonstrates that companies established outside Kenya’s capital can achieve significant growth with the right business environment.
“It is a remarkable journey that reaffirms an important truth: companies founded in Nakuru can grow into nationally recognised brands that create jobs, drive investment and contribute significantly to our economy,” he said.
The Cabinet Secretary said the government’s role is to foster an enabling environment where businesses can start, expand and remain competitive, adding that enterprise development remains central to Kenya’s economic transformation agenda.
Kinyanjui also praised RIVA Petroleum’s strategic partnerships with VIVO Energy and Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB), saying access to financing and strong corporate partnerships enables local businesses to scale their operations and compete effectively in the market.
“It is proof that when local enterprises have access to strategic partnerships and finance, they can scale, compete and succeed,” he said.
He further commended the company’s succession planning, highlighting the active involvement of the founders’ daughters in the business as an example of how family-owned enterprises can successfully transition across generations.
“Building institutions that outlive their founders requires deliberate succession planning, and RIVA Petroleum is setting an example of how family businesses can successfully transition from one generation to the next,” Kinyanjui said.
The Trade Cabinet Secretary described the company’s journey as a Kenyan success story that should inspire entrepreneurs across the country to invest in sustainable businesses capable of creating employment and supporting economic development.
The anniversary celebrations were attended by Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja, Nakuru Deputy Governor David Kones, KCB Group Managing Director Paul Russo and VIVO Energy Kenya Managing Director Peter Murungi, alongside other business and government leaders.
