The Kigali Bulk Water Supply (KBWS) project is an exemplar of a successful water PPP. Being the first of its kind in East Africa, it is a pioneering model for the financing, construction and operation of a 40,000 cubic meters/day bulk water facility with a concession term of 27 years.
Beatrice Nyabira is the Partner in charge of the Projects and Infrastructure practice at IKM. She specializes in energy, infrastructure, public-private partnerships (PPPs), public procurement and government contracting. Some of the mandates in which Beatrice has been involved include: a solid waste PPP project, a geothermal power project, a coal-fired power project, several solar photovoltaic projects, two wind power projects, construction of a bridge through a PPP and the procurement of medical equipment under a managed equipment services (MES) arrangement.
Beatrice’s clients include, commercial lenders, development finance institutions (DFIs), project sponsors and developers and contracting authorities.
The Chambers Global legal guide has reported that she is: “one of the star lawyers in the energy space” and “one of the people to watch due to her high energy and exceptional attention to detail.” It also reported that: "she has exceptional technical knowledge, especially in projects.” The guide has recognized Beatrice over the past few years as one of the outstanding commercial lawyers in Kenya.
Experience has included advising:
- Lenders in a 40 MW solar power project being developed in Kesses, Kenya
- Lenders in a 50 MW wind power project being developed in Kajiado, Kenya
- Senior lenders on the development and construction of a 140 MW geothermal power plant and related facilities in the Rift Valley region in Kenya, and the sale of capacity and energy to the Kenya Power and Lighting Company
- A developer of a 100 MW wind farm located in the Kajiado County in Kenya
- Developers of small-scale, off-grid wind hybrid power plant in Kenya
- A consortium of investors in respect of a proposed primary healthcare project, which will be piloted in Makueni County before being scaled up to all 47 counties in the country
- The providers of equity and mezzanine debt for initial contractors who will be constructing roads assigned in lots under the Kenya Ministry of Transport & Infrastructure’s Roads 10,000 Program, for the development of a total of 10,000 km of roads (phase one being for 2,000 km)
- A potential developer on the Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia Transport (LAPSSET) corridor project; an economic corridor that will foster regional socio-economic development in Kenya, Ethiopia and South Sudan, comprising a port, oil refinery, highway and railway construction
- A state corporation on a bridge PPP, being one of the Kenya National Treasury’s priority PPP projects
- World Bank on a PPP options study for accelerated and sustainable non-revenue water reduction for Nairobi and Mombasa Counties
- An international oil and gas exploration and development company on its rights under a production sharing contract with the Kenyan government for the acquisition of onshore exploration blocks
Professional Qualifications
- Advocate admitted to the High Court of Kenya (2005)
Education
- Kenya School of Law, Diploma in Law (2005)
University of Nairobi, Bachelor of Laws LL.B. (2003)
Recognition
- Ranked by Chambers Global
- Ranked by IFLR 1000
Prior Experience
- 2011 to date, Partner, IKM, DLA Piper Africa member firm in Kenya
- 2008 to 2010, Senior Associate, IKM, DLA Piper Africa member firm in Kenya
- 2005 to 2008, Associate, IKM, DLA Piper Africa member firm in Kenya
- 2003 to 2004, Pupil, IKM, DLA Piper Africa member firm in Kenya
Memberships
- Member of the Law Society of Kenya
- Member of Chartered Institute of Arbitrators
- Tribunal member of the PPP Petition Committee
The current global challenges posed by unsustainable consumption and waste generation underscore the pressing need for a transition toward a circular economy. This model prioritizes the reuse and regeneration of materials over the traditional linear model where natural resources are taken, transformed into products, and disposed of after use.
Thanks to new renewable power projects coming online, Kenya’s generation capacity now exceeds 3,000 MW. This success is partly attributable to investments from Independent Power Producers.
To many people, being an undertaker is considered an undesirable profession owing to its close proximity to death, something that is universally feared. Sadly, Insolvency Practitioners (IPs) are viewed with similar trepidation as their arrival typically heralds the demise of a company.
The development of offshore renewable energy in Africa is still in its nascent stages, with a number of offshore solar, wind and tidal projects currently going through feasibility studies in countries such as South Africa and Ghana.