Nairobi,19th March 2021
Acting Nairobi County Secretary, Dr. Jairus Musumba has urged youth and women to make use of the County business information centers in Karandini and Westlands markets to obtain business information and trainings for business startups.
Dr. Musumba was speaking when he joined other panelists, (Dr. Julius Kipng’etich the Chief Executive Officer Jubilee Holdings, Fred Waswa CEO, Octagon Africa Financial Services, Benjamin Abongo Carpex Life Insurance and Stanley Karanja Head of the Business at Madison Insurance Company) at the ongoing 2nd Edition of the Small and Medium Enterprise (SMEs) Conference and Expo at KICC.
The County Secretary spelt out some of the measures that Nairobi County has put in place for ease of doing business in the City.
Said Dr. Musumba “Nairobi County Government has reduced Single Business Permit charges by half to enable traders continue doing business amidst Covid 19 pandemic. The County has also come up with new markets (Kangundo Road, Mwariro, Karindini and Westlands) and set aside amenities like lactation Centers for mothers, leather manufacturing incubation centres in Kariokor and Jogoo Road as well as partnering with other agencies to provide modern equipment for manufacturing. We also have trade officers at the Sub-County levels. I urge residents to make use of them to get any information pertaining to doing business in Nairobi.”
Dr. Musumba added that the County has devolved licensing services to the Sub- County level, saying plans are underway to devolve the same to the ward.”
Dr. Musumba confirmed that the County has set aside Kshs 30M for SMEs revolving fund from the National Government and that the County was working on legal framework of giving out the funds in 2022. He added that the County is also in the process of developing Trade policy which will recognize the new business trends like cottages and online businesses.
The panelists called on the Government to come up with a Ministry solely dealing with SMEs which will address SMEs issues. They said there is also need to start financial literacy at primary school level to inculcate a culture of financial management and literacy in young children.
SMEs were encouraged to get insurance covers as risk mitigation measures.
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