From leather artisans and dairy processors, tech innovators, textile retailers and construction suppliers, thousands of Kenya’s entrepreneurs converged at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) on 27 June 2026 to mark World MSME Day; a celebration crowned by H.E. President Dr. William Ruto’s official launch of the Revised Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Policy 2026.
The Revised MSME Policy 2026 seeks to create an integrated and enabling business environment that supports a productive, competitive, resilient, and sustainable MSME sector, one capable of generating wealth, creating decent jobs, and driving inclusive economic growth. The policy will strengthen coordination across institutions, improve access to finance and markets, promote innovation and technology adoption, and sharpen the competitiveness of Kenyan enterprises at home and abroad.
Held under the theme “The Future Generation of MSMEs,” the celebrations placed entrepreneurs at the center of the national conversation, bringing them together with policymakers, financial institutions, development partners, and industry stakeholders in recognition of the sector’s critical role in driving economic growth, innovation, employment and wealth creation.
H.E. President Dr. William Ruto addressing MSMEs and unveiling the Revised Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Policy 2026 during the event.
As the lead agency mandated to promote the growth and development of MSMEs in Kenya, the Micro and Small Enterprises Authority (MSEA) mobilized enterprises from across the country to exhibit at the national event. The exhibition stands told a powerful story: businesses that began as small ventures now showcasing quality products, innovations, and services and forging new connections with partners, investors, and customers along the way.
Among the exhibitors were beneficiaries of the Kenya Jobs and Economic Transformation (KJET) Project and the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) Project, who shared their entrepreneurial journeys and demonstrated the transformative impact of Government investment in enterprise development. Their stories of expanded production, new markets, and jobs created in their communities brought to life what enterprise support looks like on the ground.
H.E. President Dr. William Ruto, CS for the Ministry of Co-operatives and MSME Development, Dr. Wycliffe Oparanya, PS State Department for MSMEs, Susan Mang’eni, Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja, MSEA CEO Henry Rithaa and other dignitaries interacting with MSES at the exhibition stands during the event.
In his address, President Ruto singled out these interventions, i.e. KJET and NYOTA as flagship interventions under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) accelerating enterprise development. KJET, he noted, is supporting MSMEs in priority value chains to increase productivity, expand market access, and create employment, while NYOTA is empowering youth-led enterprises through business development support and economic opportunities. The President also moderated a panel discussion with key sector stakeholders, where conversations centered on improving access to finance, strengthening market linkages, enhancing capacity building, and building partnerships that enable enterprises to thrive in local and international markets.
H.E. President Dr. William Ruto being received by MSEA Board Chairman James Mureu, MSEA CEO Henry Rithaa among other dignitaries at the World MSME Day celebrations
The celebrations were graced by the Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Co-operatives and MSME Development, Dr. Wycliffe Oparanya; Principal Secretary, State Department for MSMEs, Susan Mang’eni; Principal Secretary, State Department for Co-operatives, Patrick Kilemi; Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja; and Chief Executives and representatives from the Uwezo Fund, Financial Inclusion Fund, Kenya Industrial Estates (KIE), Kenya Bankers Association, the World Bank, the International Labour Organization (ILO), Equity Bank, and other development partners committed to advancing the MSME sector.
MSEs including NYOTA and KJET beneficiaries displaying their products and interacting with H.E the President during the event.
For MSEA, World MSME Day 2026 was more than a celebration, it was a statement of intent. With the Revised MSME Policy 2026 now in place, the Authority remains committed to walking with every entrepreneur, from the smallest micro-enterprise to growing medium-sized firms, as they build the businesses that will power Kenya’s economic transformation.
Pictorial highlights from the event
