Davis Shirtliff targets West and North Africa expansion as it marks 80 years
Enterprise
By
Nanjinia Wamuswa
| May 27, 2026
Regional water and energy solutions provider Davis & Shirtliff has announced plans to expand into West and North Africa as it marks 80 years of operations.
The company said the expansion forms part of its long-term ambition to become a leading pan-African provider of sustainable water, energy and digital infrastructure solutions.
Over the decades, Davis & Shirtliff has grown alongside Africa’s increasing demand for water and energy infrastructure, evolving into one of the continent’s most recognised engineering brands.
The company currently operates in 11 African countries with more than 100 offices and over 90 physical branches across East, Central and Southern Africa.
Founded in 1946 in Nairobi as a small engineering partnership, the company now directly employs more than 1,000 people across the region. Women account for over 30 per cent of its workforce and 35 per cent of management positions.
“Reaching 80 years is a remarkable milestone that reflects discipline, strong values and the ability to adapt to change,” said Edward Davis.
“Our next phase of growth will focus on regional expansion, digital innovation and climate-smart technologies that improve access to clean water and clean energy across Africa,” he added.
The company has invested heavily in energy-efficient pumping technologies, solar-powered systems and smart digital infrastructure that enables customers to remotely monitor and manage water and energy systems.
Davis & Shirtliff said climate change, rapid urbanisation and increasing pressure on water resources are driving demand for technologies that support water conservation, treatment and renewable energy adoption across the continent.
“Water and energy remain critical to communities and economies, and the private sector has an important role in delivering practical solutions closer to people,” Davis said.
The company has also expanded its focus on climate-smart agriculture through solar-powered irrigation and drip irrigation technologies aimed at boosting food production and reducing vulnerability to drought.
Since 2018, its community initiatives have completed more than 900 projects across Africa, impacting over 1.8 million people through improved access to water, sanitation and renewable energy solutions.
As part of its digital transformation strategy, the firm plans to increase investments in e-commerce platforms, remote monitoring systems, smart metering technologies and artificial intelligence tools to improve efficiency, customer service and technical support.
“We believe the future of the sector will be shaped by digitalisation, and businesses must evolve to meet the expectations of Africa’s growing digital population,” Davis said.
The company said it also intends to deepen its presence beyond Eastern and Southern Africa while increasing the contribution of international markets to overall group revenues.