Kenya has begun preparations for the 26th East African Community Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Trade Fair in Kigali, Rwanda, as the government seeks to turn regional market access into commercial opportunities for local businesses.
Cabinet Secretary for Co-operatives and MSME Development Wycliffe Oparanya has today commissioned a multi-sectoral National Organising Committee in Nairobi to coordinate Kenya’s participation in the Oct. 30 to Nov. 8, 2026, trade fair.
Oparanya said Kenya’s participation should go beyond displaying products and focus on helping enterprises secure business linkages, enter new markets and establish sustainable partnerships across East Africa.
The committee will oversee preparations covering trade and market access, logistics, immigration and border facilitation, product development, standards, investment promotion, marketing, technology, private-sector engagement and diplomatic relations.
EAC market opportunity
Principal Secretary for MSME Development Susan Mang’eni said the EAC regional market offered a significant opportunity for Kenyan enterprises seeking to expand beyond the domestic market.
“The bloc has an estimated population of about 331 million people and a combined gross domestic product of roughly USD356 billion,” she said.
Mang’eni said Kenyan MSMEs could use the regional market as a springboard to integrate into regional value chains and eventually access global markets.
She urged participating enterprises to focus on securing customers and business partnerships rather than treating the trade fair as a temporary exhibition.
The government wants Kenya’s participation in Kigali to generate measurable commercial outcomes for participating businesses.
Mang’eni said enterprises should use the event to identify potential customers, build partnerships and expand their commercial footprint across the region.
Market access remains one of the biggest challenges facing small businesses, particularly those seeking to move from local to regional markets.
MSEA Board Chairman James Mureu said stronger market access was essential for enterprise expansion, job creation and productive investment.
Kenya will host Kenya Day on Nov. 5, offering an additional platform to showcase locally produced goods, innovations, investment opportunities and national development priorities.
The event is expected to bring together Kenyan businesses, investors, government representatives and stakeholders from other EAC Partner States.
It will also provide an opportunity to strengthen diplomatic, trade and commercial ties within the regional bloc.
The government expects the engagements to help Kenyan entrepreneurs develop networks that can translate into longer-term business opportunities.
Beyond East Africa
Kenya’s participation in the Kigali trade fair is part of a broader government strategy to expand market access for MSMEs and strengthen regional value chains.
The strategy also focuses on value addition and positioning Kenyan enterprises to benefit from opportunities under the African Continental Free Trade Area.
The AfCFTA connects African economies to a potential consumer market of about 1.3 billion people, creating opportunities for businesses capable of meeting regional demand and complying with market requirements.
The government sees regional integration as an important pathway for Kenyan MSMEs seeking to scale production and diversify their markets.
The Kigali fair will give enterprises an opportunity to showcase locally produced goods, explore new markets, attract investment and establish partnerships.
With preparations now under way, the government is seeking to position Kenyan MSMEs as competitive regional businesses rather than simply exhibitors at a trade event.
The success of the initiative will ultimately depend on whether participation translates into contracts, investments, distribution agreements and lasting commercial relationships across East Africa and beyond.
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