Eldoret: The Micro and Small Enterprise Authority (MSEA), in partnership with the Investing in Young Business in Africa-Supporting Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Development (IYBA-SEED) and SNV, has launched the second phase of a business policy awareness forum in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County. The forum focused on the proposed MSME Policy 2025 and attracted more than 200 micro and small enterprise (MSE) operators, primarily targeting youth and women across the county.
According to Kenya News Agency, MSEA Regional Director for North Rift, CPA Alton Kogo, highlighted a significant gap in awareness among attendees regarding the support and opportunities offered by MSEA and other government bodies. Kogo stressed the importance of educating youth and women from various economic sectors, including the hotel industry, manufacturing, and agro-processing, about existing business opportunities and governmental support. He emphasized understanding the proposed MSME Policy 2025, National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA), and Kenya Jobs and Economic Transformation (KJET), among others.
Kogo stated, “The purpose of this forum is to open their minds to seize these opportunities, encourage them to formalize their enterprises, and understand all the mandates of MSEA and IYBA-SEED Project.” He also pointed out potential opportunities in infrastructure and industrial development, suggesting that informed MSEs would conduct their activities more effectively under the policy guidelines.
MSEA Senior Assistant Director Tabitha Gicheru affirmed the Authority’s commitment to supporting MSEs through capacity building, market access, mobilization, registration, infrastructure development, affordable credit, and establishing MSE centers of excellence to promote growth.
SNV IYBA SEED Project Manager Nduta Ndirangu emphasized their role in supporting MSEA with policy formulation and entrepreneurship legislation implementation. These efforts aim to facilitate the participation and support of SEED beneficiaries, including young and women entrepreneurs. Ndirangu added, “We are supporting the ecosystems and all agencies like MSEA that work to support youth and women in business and entrepreneurship to create a conducive business environment for women and youth and to create more jobs.”
Ndirangu also highlighted the IYBA SEED’s focus on ensuring that entrepreneurship-supporting policies are well-implemented, monitored, and responsive to young and women entrepreneurs’ needs, with an emphasis on sectors like agriculture, the blue economy, infrastructure development, the digital economy, manufacturing, and financial services.
Dan Melly, Assistant Chairman of the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) Uasin Gishu Chapter, urged policymakers to develop business-friendly policies such as the proposed MSME Policy 2025. Melly called for increased engagement with policymakers to ensure future policies provide opportunities for women, youth, and the less privileged, enabling them to benefit from programs like Access to Government Procurement Opportunities (AGPO).
Melly also encouraged the government, through MSEA, to devise policies supporting business communities and young people, strengthening the private sector, which he noted is the largest employer of youth and women.