State moots forums on MSMEs policy awareness

The Micro and Small Enterprises Authority (MSEA) in collaboration with SNV, a global development from the Netherlands, has launched the first phase of a series of awareness forums to educate entrepreneurs on existing policies and available business support services.

The sessions, complemented by enhanced monitoring tools, are designed to foster a more informed and empowered Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) ecosystem in Kenya.

The business awareness creation forums brought together over 400 MSMEs, including youth, women, and persons with disabilities, operating across diverse sectors. The discussions focused on business support policies in three key regions: Nakuru, Uasin Gishu, and Kisumu.

Notable stakeholders in the exercise include the County Governments of Nakuru, Uasin Gishu, and Kisumu, the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), Kenya Industrial Estates (KIE), the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), the Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute (KIRDI), the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI), the Kenya Institute of Business Training (KIBT), and the Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM), among others.

Speaking at the Nakuru, Kisumu, and Uasin Gishu forums, MSEA Director of Infrastructure Development and Innovation  Edward Karani outlined the Authority’s role in supporting MSMEs.

He emphasized the benefits of business formalisation and capacity-building initiatives such as the SME Loop, a partnership with GIZ aimed at fostering business growth.

SNV’s Country representatives, Nduta Ndirangu and Dr David Ojwang, underscored their organisation’s commitment to supporting MSMEs, particularly in agri-food, energy, and water.

They highlighted SNV’s implementation of the Investing in Young Businesses in Africa (IYBA) Seed Programme, which enhances the entrepreneurial ecosystem for youth and women by improving access to financial and non-financial business development services.

This initiative aims to create sustainable employment, bolster enterprise resilience and drive economic transformation.