[PHOTOS] Ruto leads Kenya in marking World MSME day at KICC

President William Ruto interacts with exhibitors during the 2026 World MSME Day celebrations at KICC, Nairobi/PCS

President William Ruto on Saturday led Kenya in marking the 2026 World Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Day celebrations at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC).

The event brought together government officials, entrepreneurs, industry players, and development partners to discuss the role of MSMEs in economic growth, job creation, and industrialisation.

Ruto was accompanied by Cabinet Secretary for Co-operatives and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development, Wycliffe Oparanya, Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja, among other leaders.

During the event, the President toured exhibition stands and interacted with business owners who had displayed products and services across different sectors

He also spent time engaging exhibitors as they showcased their products and innovations.

Addressing delegates, Ruto said MSMEs remain the backbone of Kenya’s economy, accounting for 98 per cent of all businesses in the country.

“In Kenya, 98% of all businesses are micro, small, or medium enterprises. They create more than 90% of our non-farm jobs and contribute over 40% of our GDP," he stated.

He further highlighted government efforts to expand access to financing and strengthen support for small businesses

The President said the government had undertaken reforms intended to create a more supportive environment for entrepreneurs and reduce barriers to business growth.

“We began by clearing the path, creating a State Department for MSMEs to give the sector a permanent home and taking government to the phone,” Ruto said.

The President said over 25,800 public services are now available through the citizen platform.

He also pointed to reforms aimed at simplifying licensing requirements, saying counties are moving toward a unified business permit model.

Ruto used the occasion to outline government interventions in enterprise financing.

The President added 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.

At the same time, Ruto said the government continues to invest in entrepreneurship through programmes targeting youth and enterprise development.

"Through NYOTA, we are building a pipeline of more than 800,000 young people in every ward of this country, equipped with skills, mentorship, and start-up capital. These are not handouts. They are the seedbed of our next generation of manufacturers and industrialists," he stated.

Despite the interventions, he acknowledged that financing remains one of the biggest challenges facing the sector.

Ruto said Kenya’s MSME financing gap currently stands 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.