BUILT FOR GREATNESS
This is How KOM Group Is Engineering Africa’s Next Economic Chapter
BUILTFORGREATN ENGINEERINGAFR KOM
In a continent defined by possibility vanguard of industrial transformati energy, mining, and trading, the Gro reshaping Africa’s economic future
of Companies
SISHOWKOMGROUPIS
XTECONOMICCHAPTER
vision, KOM Group of Companies stands as a ns spanning agro-processing, food manufacturing, uilt a formidable business empire, it is actively
Guidedbyamissiontoindustrialise, feed,andfuelthecontinent,KOM Group’sboldtrajectoryreflectsadeeper commitment:tounlockAfrican potential,empowercommunities,and inspirethenextgenerationofbuilders, leaders,andlegacy-makers.
THEARCHITECTUREOF AMBITION
IntheheartofEastAfrica,where opportunityoftenmasqueradesas challenge,theKOMGroupof Companieshasbuiltabusinessempire brickbybrick,sectorbysector
Foundedinthelate1990sbyMhoja NkwabiKabalo,amanwhose entrepreneurialcharacterwasforgedin modestbeginningsandadeeplovefor hishomeland,KOMismorethanjusta commercialsuccessstory.Itisa manifestationofoneman'svisionto createlastingvalueforTanzaniaandits people
Kabalo’sjourneyfromahumbletrader toanindustrialistexemplifiesthe
essenceofAfricangritandambition Fuelledbyadesiretoseehisnationrise throughself-sufficiencyandsustainable industry,helaidthefoundationfora groupthatwouldonedaybecomea nationalandcontinentalforce.
Hislegacyisoneofpurpose-driven leadership,wherebusinessgrowthis notjustmeasuredinmarketshare,but inlivestouched,jobscreated,and infrastructurebuilt
Today,KOMGroupisadiversified powerhouseoperatingacrossagroprocessing,foodmanufacturing, industrialgoods,mining,andretail,but atitscore,itremainsanchoredin Kabalo’soriginaldream:tohelpgrowa prosperousTanzania,fromtheground up
Today,itsexpansionstoryisstewarded byDrJescaMhojaNkwabi,asharpeyedCEOwho’sredefiningleadershipin Africanboardrooms.Thisisnotmerely ataleofnumbersorbottomlines Itisa blueprintforwhatAfricanbusinesses canbecomewhenambitionisgrounded
inimpact,andwhen intention.
TRADINGDREAM
Thestorybeginsmo
My father began a but he had a relen and an eye for ga
Dr Jesca Mhoja Nkwabi - CEO of KOM Group of Companies
In1998,KOMofficia businessKahamaIm andenteredtheTanz initiallyasanimport machineryandspare inacountrywhosee rootedinagriculture
Butitwasn’tlongbe sawanother,morep opportunity:oilproce In2002,KahamaOil launchingKOMGrou
continent’smosturgentchallengesand acriticalpartofitsfuturestability
“Today,ourbakeryhasthecapacityto produce100,000loavesperday,”Dr Nkwabinoteswithquietpride
INDUSTRIALMIGHTMEETS MININGMUSCLE
WhileKOMGroup’srootslieinfoodand agriculture,itsbranchesnowextend intomanufacturingandmining,both essentialforbuildingAfricanselfreliance.
Thecompanyproducesplastic householdgoods,pipes,steelproducts, androofingsheets,essential componentsforhousingand infrastructure Butit’stheirentryinto theminingsectorthatsignalsabolder chapterinKOMGroup’sexpansion
We hold mining licenses for gold, graphite, lithium, uranium, gypsum, and precious stones including diamonds.
Dr Jesca Mhoja Nkwabi - CEO of KOM Group of Companies agro-processingspace Cottonbecame thebackbone,processedintolint,edible oil,andcottonseedcake
"Hesawwherethesystemfailedfarmers andlocalindustries,"Jescaexplains "So hebuiltacompanythatwouldbecome partofthesolution"
ASERIESOFSTRATEGICPIVOTS
WhatdistinguishesKOMGroupfrom manyofitspeersisitscapacityto pivot Notreactively,butproactively,an entrepreneurialphilosophythathas underpinnedeverymovetheGrouphas madeformorethanthreedecades
By2008,thecompanyhaddiversified intoconsumerretailthroughRoyal Supermarket,anunexpectedleapfrom agro-processingbutonethatproved strategicallyastute Attachedtothe retailspacewasRoyalFoodCourt,a diningestablishmentthatevolvedintoa fully-fledgedfoodproductionhub
Thisindustrialfoodproductionfacilityis nowacoreassetforKOM’sambitions infoodsovereignty,oneofthe
Jescasays,“It’sastrategicdecision,we believetheseresources,when harnessedresponsibly,canfundand fuelAfricandevelopment”
Inacontinentwhereforeignextraction hastoooftenmeantvalueleavinglocal communities,KOMGroupisdetermined tochartadifferentcourse:local ownership,sustainableexploration,and long-termreinvestment
VISION2035:BUILDINGA LEGACYTHATLASTS
“We’renotjusttryingtogrow,”DrNkwabi emphasises “We’reworkingtowards shapinghowgrowthhappensinAfrica.”
EdibleCottonCookingOil AluminiumRoofingSheets
PVC Pipes
Baked Products
HDPE Pipes
Inthenextfivetotenyears,KOMGr
ScaleAfrica’sFoodSovereigntyEngine Group’sfoodandagro-processingfoot continentalfoodsecurityandnourishc homegrown,high-qualityproduction
Establish a Global Command C Group on the world stage by la international headquarters tha voice in global trade and indus
ExportAfrican Goods:Deliver commodities, self-builtAfrica rootedinadap creation,andl
ExportAfricanIngenuity,No Delivermorethancommod resilient,self-builtAfricanb rootedinadaptability,value empowerment
Launch an Entrepreneurial Acade Future: Build a national platform equipping young Tanzanian inno tools, mentorship, and mindset t wave of Africa’s industrial and e
“Expansion is important,” Dr Nkwabi reflect success lies in how many others we empow
TheforthcomingKOMTrainingAcademyisn socialresponsibilityinitiative,it’sablueprint representsaboldinvestmentinAfrica’snext equippingyoungmindswithpracticalskills,i ofownership,andfosteringtheaudacitytoin continentontherise.
THEKOMDIFFERENCE:DIVERSITYAS
WhatmakesKOMGrouptrulydistinctiveisit businessmodel Unlikesingle-sectorcompan commodityfluctuationsorshiftingconsume
operatesacrossfivehigh-impact verticals Thisnotonlycreates economicresiliencebutmultipliesvalue creationacrossthesupplychain
Jescaexplains,
We serve the farmer The trader The builder The retailer The miner But more than that, we serve the vision of an industrialised Africa
Dr Jesca Mhoja Nkwabi - CEO of KOM Group of Companies
KOMGroup'sstrengthliesinhowwell itsdivisionscomplementoneanother, importingagriculturalmachineryto servelocalfarmers,processingtheir harvests,distributingfoodproducts throughretail,andreinvestinginto infrastructureandmineraldevelopment It’stheecosystemeffect,onethatturns acompanyintoacatalyst
EMPOWERMENTFROMWITHIN
Internally,KOMGroupismorethana workplace It’saleadershippipeline
“Weencouragenewideasandconstant learning,”saysDrNkwabi “From structuredtrainingtomentorshipand cross-functionalexposure,weinvestin ourpeoplebecausetheyareourfuture.”
Underherstewardship,theGrouphas alsoplacedemphasisonwomenin leadership,astancestillrareinAfrican industrialsectors
Whenaskedwhatdrivesher,she doesn’thesitate:
“Africadeservesbetter.And someonehastogofirst.”
AFRICA’S VOICE, LOUD AND CLEAR
KOM Group is part of a wider continental movement, African businesses taking back the narrative
African businesses are rewriting history. Africa’s negative perception, painted for so long by Western countries, can no longer hold water African entrepreneurs are now paving the way Moreover, African youth now have role models they can look up to and follow in their footsteps to succeed.
-
African consumers are now demanding local solutions African businesses are delivering them. And in doing so, they are proving that African industrialisation isn’t a dream; it’s an unfolding reality.
“Multinationals must now compete with us,” she says “Not the other way around ”
Dr Jesca Mhoja Nkwabi
CEO of KOM Group of Companies
A MESSAGE TO AFRICA’S DAUGHTERS
Towardtheendofourinterview,we asked,whatshehopesayounggirl readingthismighttakeawayfromher journey
You are destined for greatness. Learn Master your craft Be exceptional Even if the journey is lonely, the right support will come And when it does, it will lift you higher than you ever imagined. But remember to reach back and lift others too
Dr Jesca Mhoja Nkwabi - CEO of KOM Group of Companies
DrJescaMhojaNkwabidoesn’ttalklike aCEOchasingquarterlyearnings.She speakslikeastateswomanof enterprise,someonewhounderstands thatinAfrica,businessismorethan profit,it’spolicy,it’semployment,it’s dignity
KOMGroupofCompaniesisnotjustproducinggoods.Itis confidence It’smanufacturingnotjuststeelandbread,but Africanexcellenceisn’ttheexception,it’stheexpectation.
ForAfricanLegacyNews,thatistherealstory,andthereas Groupisn’tjustacompanytowatch,it’salegacyinmotion.
KOM Gr
