Manu Chandaria: Kenyan Industrialist Behind Billion-dollar Conglomerate

Manu Chandaria turned a family shop into a billion-dollar conglomerate with operations in over 40 countries across Africa and Asia over seven decades.

Now in his 90s, Chandaria is steering Comcraft toward IPOs, aiming to access capital and scale industrial output in emerging economies.

Beyond business, Chandaria has donated over 100 million through his foundation, blending Jain values with African social needs.

Manu Chandaria has been one of Africas most influential industrial leaders for decades. Over the past 70 years, he has transformed a small family shop into Comcraft Group, a billion-dollar manufacturing powerhouse operating in more than 40 countries across Africa and Asia.

At 96, Chandaria is still at the helm, guiding Comcraft into its next phase. He has plans to take key subsidiaries public, aiming to tap into capital markets and strengthen the groups industrial presence in emerging economies.

Born in Nairobi in 1929 to Indian immigrant parents, Chandarias entrepreneurial journey began early. After earning degrees in engineering in India and the U.S., he returned to Kenya in the 1950s with a clear goal: to expand the familys trading business into steel, aluminium, and other industrial goods.

His timing was crucial. As newly independent African nations focused on industrialization, Comcraft quickly became a key supplier of steel pipes, roofing sheets, and aluminium products. Over the years, it grew into a vertically integrated multinational with over 30,000 employees and operations stretching from Kenya to India and Nigeria to Indonesia.

Today, Comcraft is one of Africas most diversified industrial groups, yet it remains privately held. That may soon change.