Kenya courts global investors for joint ventures with MSMEs

KAMAU DANIEL AND GESORA MINAX-KNA 

The Government is rallying international investors to consider Kenya’s micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) for joint ventures. The Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Cooperatives and MSME Development, Wycliffe Oparanya, emphasized the importance of partnerships between international investors and local businesses in creating job opportunities.

“Joint ventures allow foreign investors to integrate quickly into our market. We welcome partnerships that create jobs, transfer technology, and build Kenya’s manufacturing capacity,” said Oparanya.

Speaking at the second Kenya BuildCon and Kenya Wood Expo 2025 at the Sarit Expo Centre last week, the CS noted that the event—which includes Kenya BuildCon, SIPL (Solar, Infrastructure, Power, and Lighting), and Kenya Wood—aligns with Kenya’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).

He added that the expo empowers local enterprises, promotes innovation, and strengthens industrial value chains by showcasing advances in construction, energy, and sustainable manufacturing.

Oparanya said the government is committed to creating an enabling environment for MSMEs by expanding market access, supporting product development, and increasing access to affordable financing through the Hustler Fund, SACCO Fund, and the Financial Inclusion Fund.

“This expo is not just a display of products. It is a declaration of intent to build smarter, power greener, and grow together,” he said. State Department of Investments, Trade, and Industry Principal Secretary (PS) Dr. Juma Mukhwana urged international exhibitors, particularly from India, to invest long-term in Kenya’s manufacturing sector rather than operating as temporary showpiece vendors.