KENYA BOOSTS MSME GROWTH THROUGH LOANS, INDUSTRIAL PARKS, AND MANUFACTURING

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President William Ruto (right) during the opening of the 25th East African Community (EAC) MSME Trade Fair at Uhuru Gardens in Nairobi on November 10, 2025.
(Photo credits)

By: Gladys K 

The Government of Kenya is stepping up efforts to grow Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) through better access to credit, local manufacturing, and county industrial parks.

President Dr. William Ruto said MSMEs are at the heart of Kenya’s economic growth as he opened the 25th East African Community (EAC) MSME Trade Fair and Symposium at Uhuru Gardens in Nairobi.

He praised the Hustler Fund for giving small traders and entrepreneurs more financial support, noting that it has so far lent out more than Ksh. 80 billion to over 26 million Kenyans. Borrowers can now access up to Ksh. 150,000 under the new bridge loan plan with low interest rates.

“The credit scoring system under the Hustler Fund has made it easier for MSMEs without collateral to get loans from banks and financial institutions,” said President Ruto.

He added that the government is setting up County Aggregation and Industrial Parks (CAIPs) in all 47 counties to help with agro-processing and value addition. The parks will allow small businesses to use shared facilities, lower production costs, and increase job creation and exports.

“These parks will reduce costs for small producers and help them grow their businesses,” the President said.

Cabinet Secretary for Cooperatives and MSME Development, Dr. Wycliffe Oparanya, said access to finance, use of technology, and green growth are key to transforming MSMEs. He also read out the EAC MSME Ministerial Communique, which urges countries to support green businesses through affordable loans, training, market access, and technology sharing.

EAC ministers agreed to move faster in addressing non-tariff barriers (NTBs) and to use the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to grow regional value chains. The communique will be presented at the EAC Heads of State Summit later this month.

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja praised MSMEs for driving Kenya’s economy, saying the city contributes 27% of Kenya’s GDP, and 96% of registered businesses are MSMEs. He said the county is working to make it easier to do business through the Unified Business Permit and construction of ten new modern markets in partnership with the national government.

Principal Secretary for MSME Development, Hon. Susan Mang’eni, said Kenya is leading in using technology and innovation to help entrepreneurs grow. She added that the government will continue to build digital systems and partnerships that make it easier for MSMEs to access finance and markets.

Annette Ssemuwemba Mutaawe, Deputy Secretary General of the EAC, praised the Expo for displaying high-quality products and innovation from across the region. She said the rollout of the EAC Regional Payment System Masterplan will make it easier for businesses to trade across borders.

Ms. Pamela Coke-Hamilton, Executive Director of the International Trade Centre (ITC), called on EAC countries to strengthen economic ties through the AfCFTA to support MSME growth. She announced the opening of ITC’s first regional hub in Nairobi, which will help small exporters and deepen trade partnerships with the Global South.

The 25th EAC MSME Trade Fair has brought together entrepreneurs, government leaders, and regional partners under the theme “Connecting MSMEs to Regional and Global Value Chains.”


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