Nairobi: The Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA), in collaboration with TWIVA, a digital influencer-powered social commerce platform, and the Challenge Fund for Youth Employment (CFYE), has launched the third cohort of the ‘Twende Digital Program’. The initiative aims to support Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in their journey towards digital transformation and empower the youth.
According to Kenya News Agency, during the launch event, Dr. Ehud Gachugu, Deputy Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Director of Ajira Digital Project and Youth Employment at KEPSA, underscored the potential of Kenya’s youth-dominated population and its reputation as Africa’s ‘Silicon Savannah’. Dr. Gachugu encouraged the private sector to actively contribute to job creation, reiterating KEPSA’s commitment to supporting 200,000 SMEs by 2027. He emphasized that the program is designed to tackle key challenges such as market access, financing, and digital adaptation.
Dr. Gachugu highlighted that approximately 70 percent of jobs
in Kenya originate from the private sector, with a significant contribution from SMEs. With persistent unemployment rates, the project aims to create 300 jobs by the end of the current cohort and a cumulative target of 1 million jobs by 2027. He stressed the importance of digitalization in enhancing business growth and job creation.
June Mwangi, Technical Assistant lead at KEPSA, outlined five strategic focus areas for SME support: capacity building, affordable financing linkages, market access, innovation challenges, and policy advocacy. These areas are tailored to foster innovation, technology, and strategic partnerships, thereby enabling Kenyan SMEs to thrive in the digital economy. Mwangi emphasized the role of leadership in creating initiatives and support mechanisms to build SME capacity.
She introduced the MSME financing gateway, a platform providing SMEs with access to financial institutions, business advisory services, and operational support. Mwangi also mentioned KEPSA’s innovation challenge, wh
ich will award Sh1.5 million in June to encourage creative solutions among youth and women entrepreneurs. She acknowledged TWIVA’s role in connecting SMEs with digital influencers and resellers.
Wangari Kinyanjui, a representative from TWIVA, highlighted that the platform empowers businesses by offering free e-commerce tools, automated content creation through AI, and influencer partnerships. This approach aims to stimulate growth and support business progress. She noted that social media in Kenya has approximately 13.05 million users, and TWIVA seeks to help SMEs access this digital market cost-effectively.
During the event, Betty Kayenyo, founder of The Rainbow Plate, shared her success story. She recounted how digital marketing transformed her catering business, with a Facebook post leading to a catering gig for a U.S. client. Katenyo expressed her optimism about further expanding her business through TWIVA’s support.
As the digital revolution continues across the nation, KEPSA’s message to businesses i
s clear: embrace adaptability, innovation, and technology to empower the youth and expand employment opportunities.