President William Ruto on Saturday presided over Kenya’s 2026 World Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Day celebrations at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi, where he officially launched the Revised MSME Policy 2026 aimed at transforming the sector into a globally competitive engine of inclusive growth.
The revised policy seeks to create an integrated, enabling business environment that fosters a productive, competitive, resilient and sustainable MSME sector capable of generating wealth, creating jobs and driving inclusive economic growth across the country.
Addressing delegates, President Ruto said MSMEs remain the backbone of Kenya’s economy, accounting for 98 per cent of all businesses in the country, creating more than 90 per cent of non-farm jobs and contributing over 40 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
The President flagged Kenya’s MSME financing gap, currently estimated at about Ksh3 trillion, and called for increased participation by private sector lenders to complement government efforts.
“Government funds can catalyse and prepare our people for credit, but government alone cannot close a KSh3 trillion financing gap,” he said.
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Ruto also spoke to the government’s flagship programs — the Kenya Jobs and Economic Transformation Project (KJET) and the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) project. Through KJET, he noted, the government is extending support to MSMEs in priority value chains to expand their productivity and job creation, while through NYOTA, it is investing in youth-led enterprises to create jobs and advance inclusive economic growth.
The President noted that more than eight million negatively listed Kenyans had been given an opportunity to rebuild their credit standing, with over two million already returning to the formal economy.
Ruto also highlighted government reforms aimed at simplifying licensing requirements, saying counties are moving toward a unified business permit model, while over 25,800 public services are now available through the eCitizen platform.
The President was accompanied by Cabinet Secretary (CS) for Co-operatives and MSME Development Wycliffe Oparanya, Principal Secretary (PS) for the State Department for MSMEs Susan Auma Mang’eni, and PS for the State Department for Co-operatives Patrick Kilemi.
During the event, the President toured exhibition stands and interacted with business owners who displayed products and services across different sectors.
By Benedict Aoya
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