Nairobi County Partners with Women Enterprise Fund to Boost Economic Empowerment for Women and Girls
The Nairobi City County Government has entered into a strategic partnership with the Women Enterprise Fund (WEF) to launch comprehensive socio-economic initiatives aimed at empowering women and girls across the capital. The collaboration, formalized through a memorandum of understanding signed by Governor Johnson Sakaja and WEF Chairperson Dr. Jennifer Riria, will provide accessible financing, business development services, and market linkages to thousands of women entrepreneurs in Nairobi’s constituencies. This initiative represents one of the most significant county-level efforts to address gender-specific economic challenges and promote financial inclusion among women-led enterprises.
The partnership will establish women-focused business incubation centers in all 17 sub-counties, offering specialized training in entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and digital skills. Through the program, women will access low-interest loans from the Women Enterprise Fund, with the county government providing additional matching grants for viable business proposals. We recognize that empowering women economically is fundamental to Nairobi’s overall development. This partnership will unlock the tremendous potential of our women entrepreneurs, enabling them to grow their businesses and create employment opportunities within their communities, Governor Sakaja stated during the signing ceremony at City Hall.
Women entrepreneurs and community leaders have welcomed the initiative as a transformative step toward addressing the unique challenges faced by women in business. Previous beneficiaries of similar programs have reported significant improvements in their enterprises, with many expanding their operations and creating jobs for other women. Access to affordable capital and business training has been a major hurdle for women, especially those in informal settlements. This partnership will level the playing field and give us the support we need to compete effectively in the market, said Jane Adhiambo, who leads a women’s tailoring cooperative in Kibera.
The long-term vision for the partnership includes establishing a sustainable ecosystem for women’s economic empowerment that extends beyond direct financial support. The program will incorporate mentorship components pairing established women business leaders with aspiring entrepreneurs, as well as market access initiatives connecting women producers with larger retail outlets and export opportunities. Our goal is to create a Nairobi where every woman with a business idea can access the resources needed to turn that idea into a thriving enterprise. When women succeed, families prosper, and entire communities benefit, affirmed Dr. Riria. With this partnership, Nairobi County takes a significant stride toward achieving gender equality in economic participation and creating more inclusive growth across the capital