County Promotes Women-Owned Businesses in Nairobi Markets

The Nairobi City County Government has launched a comprehensive initiative to promote and support women-owned businesses across Nairobi’s markets. In partnership with the Women Enterprise Fund, the county has rolled out training, credit access and dedicated stalls for women entrepreneurs as part of its socio-economic empowerment plan.
Under the programme, women market traders and micro-enterprises will gain access to low-interest loans and business skills workshops. For example, during a recent grant award ceremony held on 22 April 2025, the county recognized 143 micro-entrepreneurs — 43 of whom were women — with support packages aimed at helping them expand operations. The initiative also seeks to increase formalisation of women-led micro-businesses, link them with vendor zones in key markets, and provide digital tools for market access and payment systems.
Women business owners have welcomed the move, describing it as a much-needed boost to their competitiveness and legitimacy in the formal economy. Many said that access to credit, formal trading space, and training allows them to grow revenues and prepare for export-markets. Analysts note that strengthening women’s participation in the informal and formal market segments can increase job creation and raise household incomes across Nairobi. Yet, they emphasise that sustained support, infrastructure improvement, and bridging digital-access gaps remain crucial to fully realise the benefits.
Looking ahead, the county plans to scale the support to all market zones across its 85 wards by mid-2025, integrate women-led enterprises into supply-chains of larger retailers, and establish a monitoring platform to track progress and outcomes. If successfully implemented, the programme could serve as a model for inclusive urban economic development and significantly boost Nairobi’s small-business ecosystem.