Kenyan firm expands services to Gulf region

L-R: Calvin Omondi, Willice Onyango, Mahat Abdi Dore, Fauzia Saleh, and Latifa Yahya, following the signing of a strategic partnership on January 7th, 2026. [ Courtesy]

Kenyan digital services firms are increasingly placing international expansion at the centre of their growth strategies, turning to the Middle East as part of a broader push to build export-led businesses. 

With domestic demand tightening and regional markets becoming more crowded, technology companies are making deliberate decisions to seek scale, stability, and higher-value opportunities beyond East Africa.

Kenyan-based digital firm More Classifieds Agency eyes Saudi Arabia after signing a strategic partnership to anchor its expansion into the wider Gulf Cooperation Council market, a region undergoing rapid digital transformation under the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 program.

The partnership, signed earlier this year, will establish a Gulf regional unit headquartered in Riyadh, positioning the Kenyan firm to serve businesses across Saudi Arabia and neighboring GCC states. 

Rather than pursuing heavy capital investments in foreign infrastructure, the company has opted for a partnership-led entry model, a strategy increasingly favoured by Kenyan tech firms navigating tighter conditions at home.

“This move is about building sustainable growth beyond our traditional markets,” said Mahat Abdi Dore, Managing Director of More Classifieds Agency. “As competition increases locally, Kenyan digital firms must think globally. Partnering with established local players allows us to scale faster, manage risk, and deliver solutions that are tailored to each market.”