East African MSMEs Gather in Nairobi as Region Marks 25 Years of Economic Integration
By Chemtai Kirui, NAIROBI,
More than 2,500 micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) from across East Africa are exhibiting in Nairobi as the region marks 25 years of economic integration aimed at boosting trade, jobs and industrial growth.
The 25th East African Community (EAC) MSMEs Trade Fair — the Silver Jubilee edition — runs from Nov. 7–16 at Uhuru Gardens and features entrepreneurs from all eight partner states under the theme named 25 Years of EAC Integration: Advancing Innovation and Regional Value Chains for Competitive MSMEs Towards Sustainable Development.
Organised by the EAC Secretariat in partnership with member states and the Confederation of Micro and Small Enterprises Organisation–East Africa, the fair remains one of the region’s longest-running cross-border business platforms.
Opening the event, Kenya’s President William Ruto, who chairs the EAC Summit, urged partner states to eliminate non-tariff barriers that continue to slow down commerce across the region.
He said recent gains in regional trade signalled a “maturing internal market” driven by shared economic priorities.
According to data from the EAC Secretariat, intra-EAC trade grew by 27% between June 2024 and June 2025, rising from USD 14.2 billion to USD 18 billion. Officials attribute the increase to streamlined border procedures, harmonised product standards and the strengthening of the customs union.
The fair serves both as a marketplace and a policy discussion forum, with top issues including access to affordable credit, digital transformation and the need to deepen regional value chains — sectors that remain major hurdles for small enterprises.
Cabinet Secretary for Cooperatives and MSMEs Development, Wycliffe Oparanya, said improving financial services and expanding regional market access are “central to unlocking MSME competitiveness” across the region, where small businesses form the backbone of employment.
A high-level ministerial roundtable co-hosted with the International Trade Centre (ITC) is among the fair’s key features. The ITC is officially opening a new regional hub in Nairobi during the event, a move expected to strengthen export readiness and market access for MSMEs across East Africa.
EAC Deputy Secretary General for Customs, Trade and Monetary Affairs, Annette Ssemuwemba Mutaawe, said the bloc must accelerate local manufacturing to compete effectively under the African Continental Free Trade Area, noting that less than 30% of the region’s exports are manufactured while 64% of imports come from outside Africa.
Partner states are also hosting dedicated showcase days, including Burundi Day, South Sudan Day and Rwanda Day, featuring textiles, artisanal products and cultural performances that reflect the growing influence of the creative economy in regional trade.
A parallel event, the 2025 EAC Regional Quality Awards, is recognising MSMEs that have excelled in product innovation, quality management and value-chain development, as the bloc pushes for higher industrial standards.
Analysts say the fair is emerging as a key engine for East Africa’s industrial ambitions. If commitments made at the Nairobi fair, including fast-tracking the removal of non-tariff barriers and operationalising the new ITC regional hub, are implemented, small enterprises could gain greater access to markets and play a larger role in shaping the region’s economic transformation.
