Kenya Targets 500 MSMEs for Kigali Trade Fair as Government Seeks to Expand Regional Markets

By Evans Mutinda, Violet Kerubo & Monyonge O’kebati

The government is stepping up efforts to position Kenyan micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) for greater opportunities in the East African and global markets through increased participation in regional trade fairs.
The government has committed about Sh200 million to support approximately 500 Kenyan MSMEs to participate in the upcoming 26th East African Community MSME Trade Fair in Kigali, Rwanda.
Officials said the funding proposal has been submitted to the National Treasury, with the support expected to help entrepreneurs meet the costs of participating in the regional exhibition and access new markets.
The Kigali trade fair is expected to bring together nearly 2,000 exhibitors from across the region, providing Kenyan businesses with opportunities to showcase locally produced goods, establish partnerships and identify new customers.
All 47 Kenyan counties are expected to participate, with each county targeting at least five exhibitors. The government is also seeking additional partnerships that could increase Kenya’s delegation from 500 to as many as 1,000 exhibitors.
Women and youth entrepreneurs are among those being prioritised, with at least 100 beneficiaries of the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) programme expected to take part.

Officials said exposing NYOTA beneficiaries to regional markets would help them build business networks, gain new customers and continue growing their enterprises beyond the programme.
Kenya is also expected to showcase its leather value chain, while other exhibitors will include businesses supported through government financing and manufacturing programmes.
The trade fair will also focus on improving access to trade finance, strengthening the capacity of women and youth entrepreneurs and creating market linkages under the African Continental Free Trade Area.
The Micro and Small Enterprise Authority has urged Kenyan entrepreneurs to shift their focus from competing against one another within the region to building businesses capable of competing globally.
The authority said MSMEs are a major source of employment in Kenya, with the sector accounting for more than 80 per cent of the country’s employment capacity, according to data cited during the preparations.
Officials noted that Kenya’s Jua Kali sector has evolved significantly, with enterprises increasingly producing precision machinery, quality leather products, organic cosmetics and digital agricultural technologies.
The previous EAC MSME Trade Fair attracted more than 1,500 exhibitors and over 5,000 visitors, providing a platform for business-to-business engagements and cross-border trade.
Kenyan officials said the experience demonstrated the potential of regional trade fairs to help enterprises overcome market barriers and position their products for wider international markets.
Preparations for the Kigali event are being coordinated across several government agencies. The Kenya Bureau of Standards will support product certification, while the Immigration Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, border control and security agencies will facilitate the movement of exhibitors and goods.
The coordinating committee has been tasked with addressing logistics, security and border movement as Kenya prepares to send its delegation to Kigali.
Officials have urged entrepreneurs to use the platform not only to sell their products but also to learn from businesses across the region and understand the opportunities available in Rwanda and other EAC markets.
The government said successful participation would help Kenyan MSMEs expand their customer base, strengthen regional trade and build brands capable of competing beyond East Africa.
With the Kigali trade fair approaching, officials have challenged Kenyan entrepreneurs to present innovative, high-quality products and use the regional platform as a launchpad for wider continental and global markets.