State Department for MSMEs Development

06/10/2026

The Principal secretary for MSMEs, Susan Auma Mang'eni Cbs accompanied by Micro and Small Enterprises Authority - MSEA DG, Mr. Henry Rithaa appeared before the Departmental Committee on Trade, Industry and Cooperatives to brief the Committee on the implementation and operationalization of the 290 CIDCs, the progress made so far, and how these centres are being positioned to deliver tangible value to local enterprises.

Constituency Industrial Development Centers (CIDCs) are key to advancing grassroots industrialization by bringing enterprise infrastructure, production opportunities and business support closer to our communities.

Once fully operational, the 290 CIDCs will provide critical infrastructure that enables MSMEs to increase production, add value to local resources, create jobs and strengthen local and regional value chains.

The session was also attended by Dr. Eng. Joseph Siror, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Kenya Power.

06/10/2026

Value chain

29/09/2026

In today's Business daily.

The World Bank-backed initiative has a total budget of Sh33 billion and runs until 2028, with the lender financing Sh29.5 billion, including a Sh25.8 billion loan.

23/09/2026

Though the MSME sector is the largest source of jobs, especially for youth, the sector faces a Ksh. 4 trillion financing gap that must be addressed to accelerate its growth and enable it to achieve its full potential.

At the UNGA81 Roundtable on Unlocking Private Sector Financing for MSMEs to Accelerate the SDGs, PS Susan Auma Mang'eni Cbsshared how Kenya is building an ecosystem to make MSMEs investor-ready and mobilise private capital for MSMEs at scale. We are reforming the MSME ecosystem by improving the ease of doing business, de-risking lending through guarantees, raising productivity through MSME clusters, and connecting MSMEs to local, regional and international markets.

The has, over the last four years, made previously invisible borrowers visible to the credit market, deepening financial inclusion at the bottom of the pyramid and creating over 29 million credit profiles. The Government has also led in setting up the Kenya Credit Guarantee Company, a USD 30 million facility, and the USD 40 million Green Investment Fund to crowd in private capital and de-risk financing for MSMEs. I also called for redefining credit risk, reforming lending frameworks and embedding local content to enable more MSMEs to access credit.

Digital platforms have democratised access to opportunities for MSMEs. The Government has digitised over 23,000 services, including applications for business licences, and is rolling out 100,000 kilometres of fibre optic cable to enable MSMEs to access broadband internet, digitise business processes and access markets.

We invite global partners to Kenya to co-invest in blended finance and credit guarantee programmes, and to support Kenyan MSMEs in accessing regional and global markets.

23/09/2026

Secretary MSMEs , Mr Doyo attended a high-level preparatory meeting bringing together Government institutions implementing programmes that support , youth and development ahead of the launch of the MSMEs Countrywide Drive in Vihiga County on 25th September 2026.

This initiative reflects our Whole-of-Government approach under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), strengthening coordination, monitoring the impact of Government programmes, and ensuring that every intervention delivers tangible benefits to entrepreneurs and young people across the country.

Beginning in Vihiga before expanding to Bungoma, Busia, Homa Bay and the rest of the country, the drive will enable Government to engage directly with MSMEs and youth, assess programs outcomes, identify implementation gaps and gather feedback to improve service delivery.

The State Department for MSMEs Development remain committed to expanding access to enterprise financing, markets, skills development and employment opportunities while ensuring programs such as , The Uwezo Fund and other empowerment initiatives translate into sustainable businesses, improved livelihoods and inclusive economic growth for all Kenyans.

23/09/2026

The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) provides Kenya with duty-free, quota-free access to the United States market across more than 6,300 product lines, a critical opportunity to connect with international markets, globalize value chains and deepen Kenya’s participation in the global economy.

PS Susan Auma Mang'eni Cbsheld a bilateral meeting with Matt Meyer, the Governor of Delaware, to explore strategic partnerships that can accelerate the growth and global competitiveness of Kenyan MSMEs.

Further, discussed opportunities to strengthen linkages between Kenyan and Delaware MSMEs through business-to-business matchmaking, market access, knowledge exchange and investment partnerships.

22/09/2026

On the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York, PS Susan Mangeni, participated in the 2026 High-Level Forum on Sustainable Procurement, convened by the United Nations Global Compact.

The Forum brings together Government Ministers, CEOs and Chief Procurement Officers from across the world to advance sustainable procurement as a strategic driver of resilient supply chains, inclusive economic growth and competitive economies.

For Kenya, strengthening sustainable procurement presents an important opportunity to expand market access for MSMEs, deepen local value chains, promote responsible production and ensure that public and private sector purchasing creates opportunities for enterprises.

The government has already made concrete steps towards this agenda by implementing the 30% preferential procurement for Youth, women and persons with disability (AGPO), who are majorly MSMEs, ongoing training of 600,000 youth on AGPO under the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement Project and the democratisation of Public Procurement opportunities through the Electronic Government procurement (EGP Platform).

18/09/2026

The State Department hosted a team from the European Investment Bank (EIB Global), comprising Edward Claessen, Head of Regional Hub for East Africa; Faith Njoroge, Senior Investment Officer, Financial Inclusion Division; and Ann Masiga, Kenya Country Manager & Loan Officer, East & Southern Africa, Public Sector, to discuss access to credit for MSMES.

The EIB is the bank of the European Union, owned by the 27 EU Member States, and supports investments aligned with EU policy and partner-country priorities. Its Nairobi office serves as the Regional Hub for East Africa and is the Bank’s largest office outside Europe. In the past, the EIB has signed financing agreements worth approximately €500 million (Ksh 70 billion) with Kenyan commercial banks.

Our discussions focused on expanding access to affordable and patient capital for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). EIB credit lines provide longer tenors and competitive pricing, enabling financial institutions to manage credit risks while extending more affordable financing to MSMEs.

18/09/2026

Kenya Industrial Estates KIE signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Sidian Bank anchored on a strategic partnership that will expand access to innovative financial solutions ,inclusive credit and business development support for MSMEs in manufacturing and value addition.

11/09/2026

PS Susan Mang'eni joined financial-sector stakeholders at the 3rd National Credit Market Convention, organised by Metropol in Naivasha, under the theme “Building Connected Credit Ecosystems, Interoperable Platforms and Partnerships for Business Growth.”

For Kenya’s MSMEs to grow, create jobs and contribute more to our economy, they need access to affordable, sustainable growth capital. Expanding access to credit is therefore a key priority for the State Department for MSME Development.

Through the Hustler Fund, Financial Inclusion Fund -Hustler Fundwe have created credit profiles for over 28 million Kenyans, while more than 8 million Kenyans have been supported to rebuild their credit histories. We are now advancing the development of a National Credit Score, which will allow Kenyans with strong credit histories to use their creditworthiness as a trust signal when accessing higher levels of credit from formal financial institutions.

We are also working to incorporate non-financial alternative data, including agricultural management information, to generate alternative trust signals and enable more MSMEs that may lack traditional collateral to access financing.