A new survey has revealed that the majority of women traders in Kenya have never received formal business or enterprise development training, limiting the growth and sustainability of their businesses.
The research, conducted by social enterprise WOW MOM Kenya with support from the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), found that 93 per cent of women traders rely on trial-and-error rather than structured business education to manage their enterprises.
The study identified significant gaps in essential business skills, including poor record-keeping, limited financial literacy, inadequate market intelligence, and challenges in business planning, forecasting, and performance evaluation. Researchers said the lack of formal training remains one of the biggest obstacles to enterprise growth and long-term success.
Baseline studies carried out among women traders in urban and peri-urban informal markets, including Mwariro, Karandini, and Toi markets in Nairobi, showed that most participants had never accessed formal business or financial management training.
Beyond skills shortages, the survey highlighted other barriers affecting women entrepreneurs, including limited access to affordable credit, heavy unpaid childcare responsibilities, time constraints, and cumbersome regulatory requirements.
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Although Kenya does not have a comprehensive census of women traders, available data shows that women own about 48 per cent of the country’s Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). In the informal and cross-border trade sectors, women account for between 60 and 80 per cent of all small-scale traders.
The findings have prompted renewed calls for targeted interventions to strengthen women-owned enterprises through affordable and accessible business development programmes tailored to their needs.
Researchers also emphasized the importance of expanding childcare support services alongside financial and business management training to enable women entrepreneurs to build sustainable livelihoods.
WOW MOM Kenya Managing Director Peninah Ndegwa said financial literacy is a critical foundation for business success but noted that entrepreneurs also need to embrace innovation, value addition, and continuous learning to remain competitive.
She said exposing traders to new ideas and technologies enables them to identify opportunities for expanding their businesses and increasing their incomes, adding that economic empowerment is essential for building resilient families and child-friendly communities.
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To address the identified gaps, WOW MOM Kenya has launched financial literacy programmes aimed at equipping women traders with practical skills in financial management, business planning, and enterprise sustainability.
The organisation has also partnered with the Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute (KIRDI) to expose entrepreneurs to opportunities in value addition, product development, manufacturing processes, and innovation.
The initiative is expected to help women improve product quality, diversify their product offerings, strengthen branding and packaging, and better respond to changing market demands. It will also encourage traders to explore opportunities in value-added sectors such as food processing, textiles, leather products, cosmetics, crafts, and other manufacturing enterprises.
By Obegi Malack
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