The Lower Eastern Times Opening The Third Eye
By: Our Reporter
A Nairobi company has announced plans to build a precision infrared optical lens manufacturing facility in Kenya, a project that would mark the country’s entry into a technically demanding industrial sector previously confined to manufacturers in Asia, North America and Israel.
HANDLE Investment, led by chief executive Eng. Erick Kamau Kahura, said yesterday the planned facility would produce germanium lenses for thermal cameras — components used in livestock management, electrical system inspection and industrial equipment maintenance. The company said financing was agreed with Australian investor Olivier Abrahamson Lokolomba at the start of 2026.
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The project is targeting 400 permanent positions at full production capacity, with roles in engineering, manufacturing, quality assurance and logistics. HANDLE Investment said its initial market would be Kenya, with expansion across East Africa and further afield as production matures.
Precision infrared optics require high-purity germanium and exacting manufacturing conditions. The global market is supplied almost exclusively by established producers in China, the United States and Israel; no sub-Saharan African manufacturer currently competes at commercial scale in this segment.
Kahura has not disclosed the project’s total funding, the planned start date for construction or the facility’s precise location within Nairobi. HANDLE Investment gave no details of Lokolomba’s previous business interests or the terms of the financial agreement.
Kenya’s manufacturing sector has struggled to move beyond light industry and agro-processing. Government policy under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda has emphasised industrial upgrading, though progress has been uneven and foreign investment into high-technology manufacturing remains limited.
Independent verification of HANDLE Investment’s technical capacity and financial position was not available at the time of publication. The company has not yet published audited accounts or a formal prospectus, and no regulatory filings related to the project were accessible.
The infrared imaging market has expanded in recent years, underpinned by rising demand from agriculture, utilities and security. East Africa represents a genuine potential customer base, given the region’s large livestock population and growing industrial infrastructure. Whether a new market entrant in Nairobi can achieve the quality standards and production costs needed to compete against established Asian suppliers is a question the company will need to answer before attracting broader investor confidence.
