In Nyahera, Kisumu County, trucks laden with ceiling panels, gypsum boards, and wooden board fittings roll out of Buildex Interiors, bound for retailers and construction sites across multiple counties.
Forklifts weave between pallets as staff verify orders, preparing each shipment for distribution beyond the local area. Demand for interior finishes and construction materials is surging, placing growing pressure on builders and artisans in smaller towns, who often contend with delayed deliveries and limited product availability.
These bottlenecks threaten project timelines and drive up costs, highlighting the strain on Kenya’s interior finishing sector as secondary towns and emerging urban centres struggle to keep pace with growing construction activity.
Founded in 2022, Buildex Interiors, led by CEO John Gitahi and MD Amos Nyuike, was established to tackle persistent supply challenges, ensuring that contractors and technicians in smaller towns have timely access to essential materials while supporting the region’s growing construction market. The company developed a distribution system to reliably deliver products to emerging construction markets, integrating supply operations, training programmes, and logistics coordination.
“Many installers and retailers previously had to travel long distances to obtain basic finishing products, and interior specialists outside major urban centres often faced delays or irregular supply,” Gitahi notes.
Buildex Interiors CEO John Gitahi during an interview in Dago, Kisumu County, on March 20, 2026.
Photo credit: Alex Odhiambo | Nation Media Group
He adds that these challenges disrupted productivity and the quality of work, revealing the need for a better-organised distribution system.
“Our system brings materials closer to technicians, retailers and contractors, helping projects stay on schedule and reducing construction delays.”
At its inception, the company employed two staff members and offered a single product line - interior doors. Since then, operations have expanded to include product supply, artisan training and logistics coordination, supporting a growing network of contractors and retail outlets across multiple counties. The company employs 41 permanent and 13 temporary staff, and provides a distribution network that connects manufacturers with more than 950 retailers, enabling access to established sales, marketing, and logistics channels without the need to build these functions internally.
Over the past decade, Kenya’s construction industry and neighbouring markets have expanded steadily, driven by urban growth, real estate development, and rising housing demand. Research shows that supplying interior materials is a specialised sector within the construction industry. Demand is affected by architectural trends, the availability of skilled labour, and the purchasing power of developers and homeowners.
As the real estate sector diversifies, contractors increasingly seek a broader range of interior finishes and components, placing additional pressure on suppliers to maintain consistent inventory and distribution capacity.
Recognising that timely supply is essential for construction projects, Buildex Interiors has implemented logistics systems to track shipments and coordinate deliveries across multiple locations.
“Maintaining project timelines requires careful planning, as interior construction schedules are closely coordinated and delays can affect multiple trades simultaneously. Ensuring that materials reach contractors on time is a core responsibility,” he says.
Buildex Interiors staff work on interior finishing materials at the firm's premises in Dago, Kisumu County, on March 20, 2026.
Photo credit: Alex Odhiambo | Nation Media Group
While Kenya’s construction sector imports a substantial share of finishing materials, producing certain items domestically can improve quality control and shorten delivery times, though it requires significant investment in equipment and technical expertise.
The firm supplies more than 300 products, including decorative and functional components such as ceiling boards like gypsum, wall solutions like panels and liquid wall paints, kitchen surfaces like granite, marble, and quartz slabs, and window and curtain systems with their accessories. These materials have been supplied to residential and commercial projects, serving more than 10,000 clients.
Another area of operations is the production of cornices, decorative mouldings installed where walls meet ceilings to add architectural detail. The process combines technical precision with aesthetic considerations. Materials—plaster, wood, polyurethane, or polystyrene—are chosen based on the building’s design and structural requirements. Craftsmen and specialised machinery then shape the mouldings using measured templates or moulds before finishing and preparing them for installation.
“Once formed, the cornices undergo curing or drying to ensure durability. Finishing may include smoothing surfaces or applying coatings before the pieces are transported for installation,” he says.
He adds that the process requires precise monitoring to ensure the final mouldings are both visually consistent and structurally sound. Cornices and other specialised mouldings are now being produced locally, shortening the time needed to source custom pieces.
At the same time, the rising demand for interior materials in Kenya is driven by urbanisation and the expansion of residential developments into secondary towns. However, distribution networks have not always kept pace with this growth. To address these gaps and reach smaller markets, the company has introduced an agent-based system. Local representatives coordinate orders and deliveries, provide insights on regional demand patterns, and facilitate communication between retailers and the central distribution structure.
Interior finishing products on display at Buildex Interiors premises in Dago, Kisumu West Sub-County, on March 20, 2026.
Photo credit: Alex Odhiambo | Nation Media Group
This allows the company to operate efficiently in areas where establishing a full branch may not yet be economically viable. The system also aligns with the government’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), linking international manufacturers with local retailers and technicians while supporting job creation in both the housing and manufacturing sectors.
Recognising that the durability of interior finishes depends on the skill of the "fundi," Buildex Interiors has launched six-month training programs through FundiSmart Initiative. The initiative provides a structured curriculum combining hands-on instruction in installation techniques, mechanisation, product handling, workplace safety, and compliance with standards, delivered in small-group sessions.
“We are developing a digital marketplace for technicians, turning the traditional fundi role into a dignified, formal career and ensuring Kenyan households have access to certified, world-class expertise,” he says.
FundiSmart bridges the skills gap, improves employability, links artisans to ongoing projects, and creates income opportunities across the sector.
Technicians are also connected to Saccos, enabling access to affordable credit for modern tools and essential expenses. The training has already equipped more than 700 fundis across 12 counties, improving workmanship and reducing avoidable mistakes.
Environmental considerations are increasingly integrated into operational planning as the construction industry faces growing scrutiny over resource use and impact. Governments and investors are placing greater emphasis on sustainable practices across the construction supply chain.
Although interior finishing materials account for only part of this footprint, Buildex Interiors is mitigating its environmental impact through the One Million Trees Initiative along the Mt. Kilimanjaro Kenyan Belt, partnering with 2,100 local community members to support reforestation and responsible timber sourcing for wooden interior accessories.
Gitahi says environmental responsibility is part of a wider discussion about the future of construction materials.
“The industry must consider how natural resources are managed. Tree-planting programmes represent one step in supporting ecological balance, and companies are increasingly expected to demonstrate responsible sourcing and reduce waste,” he notes.
Interior finishing products on display at Buildex Interiors premises in Dago, Kisumu West Sub-County, on March 20, 2026.
Photo credit: Alex Odhiambo | Nation Media Group
“Our priority was understanding the challenges installers and retailers encounter. Growth followed as services adapted to regional supply gaps and operational realities,” he explains.
Buildex Interiors faces a structural challenge due to the high cost of expansion capital. Despite government efforts to de-risk the private sector, traditional bank loans remain largely unaffordable for young, medium-sized enterprises.
“Accessing affordable debt and government support is a key factor in expanding local operations. Our activities have been shaped by the needs of these enterprises and changes in the construction sector,” he notes.
