MSME owners and industry stakeholders have issued a call for increased investment and collaboration to unlock the next phase of business growth in Kenya. Speaking during the highly successful Business Ecosystems Summit (BES) 2025 in Kisumu, MSME representatives, corporates, and sector associations urged investors and development partners to scale up support and deploy capital that matches the ambition and economic contribution of Kenya’s 7.4 million MSMEs.
During her address as the convener of the Summit, Jeanette Oromo, CEO of The IMC People, challenged the business community to translate the commitments made at the Summit into concrete action.
“The momentum we are witnessing at the 2025 Business Ecosystems Summit must translate into tangible investments and partnerships. It is time to move beyond rhetoric and actively deploy capital into MSMEs. The biggest challenges these enterprises face are related to access to financing and capital, yet they remain the backbone of our economy. The potential for improving our country’s socio-economic status is limitless, but only if we have innovative financing models, patient capital, and inclusive value chains that support MSMEs. This Summit proves that bringing the right players together in structured and meaningful ways makes magic happen,” said Jeanette Oromo, CEO of The IMC People and BES 2025 convener.
The Summit, organized by The IMC People in partnership with the Lake Region Economic Bloc (LREB) and the Kisumu County Government, showcased the region’s readiness to support enterprise development and attract investment across multiple sectors.
On his part, Kisumu County Governor, H.E Prof. Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o, Governor of Kisumu County and Chair of the LREB, emphasized the county’s business readiness citing the return of major business conferences as evidence.
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“We hosted the inaugural Business Ecosystems Summit in 2023, then followed it up with major international business events and conferences including one by the Afreximbank in 2024. This demonstrates that Kisumu and the Lake region are open, competitive, and strategic for business,” said Prof. Nyong’o.
Her Excellency, Nasra Salim Mohamed Al Hashmi, Ambassador of the Sultanate of Oman to Kenya, highlighted the critical need for collaboration between government and stakeholders saying: “Oman and Kenya are no strangers to each other, and we see Kenya as a strategic gateway to East and Central Africa. Our governments are committed to building cross-regional networks that empower women-led enterprises, youth innovators and startups with global aspirations. Events like BES remind us that the future of trade and development is not built by government alone, but by people, ideas and relationships.”
Building on the success of the 2023 edition which attracted 9,000 attendees, BES2025 exceeded expectations with increased participation and deeper engagement across sectors. Closing on Friday, 28 November, it features high-level plenary sessions, sector-specific panels, investment matchmaking, and an expansive marketplace that attracted more than 10,000 visitors on its first day. The Summit is showcasing more than 300 exhibitors, most of them innovative MSMEs.
“Our commitment moving forward is to create more of these platforms throughout the year to grow the impact of the Summit. We must build permanent bridges between MSMEs and the resources they need to scale. No entrepreneur should struggle in isolation when solutions exist within reach,” added Ms. Oromo.
BES2025 was made possible by the support of key organisations including Arise IIP Kenya, , AAR Insurance, KenInvest, Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) Kisumu Chapter, Export Processing Zones Authority (EPZA), and Med Aditus.
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