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The fragmented nature of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Kenya, with many operating in isolation, may put them at a disadvantage as the country integrates into the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

At a recent workshop aimed at educating small businesses on how to leverage digital tools to capture the African market, experts emphasised the importance of MSMEs adopting formal structures and aggregating their efforts to succeed beyond Kenya's borders.

Joseph Rotich, AfCFTA Chief Negotiator from the Ministry of Trade, highlighted that many MSMEs in Kenya have lost clients due to an inability to meet demand.

Meanwhile, Jas Bedi, Chair of the Kenya Export Promotion and Branding Agency (Keproba), indicated that the government is ready to lease warehouses across Africa to help MSMEs enter new markets.

Speaking at the workshop in Nairobi, organized by GIZ-Kenya and the East African Business Council (EABC), Rotich pointed to the recent success of Kenya's tea export to Ghana under AfCFTA. This export, aggregated from smallholder farmers through the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA), should serve as a model for increasing exports.

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