County Unveils Digital Licensing Portal for Nairobi Startups

The Nairobi City County Government announced a streamlined digital licensing platform aimed at entrepreneurs and start-ups in Nairobi. The initiative introduces a single online portal — accessed via the county’s NairobiPay revenue service — through which business owners can apply for, pay and receive the new electronic unified business permit (UBP).
Under the new system, multiple licences previously issued separately — including food, health, fire safety and advertisement permits — are consolidated into the UBP. According to the county, this consolidation resolves inefficiencies and revenue leakages by allowing businesses to complete permit application online and receive the e-permit instantly. Governor Johnson Sakaja said the move supports Nairobi’s growing startup ecosystem by reducing red tape and promoting easier formalisation of business operations.
The response from Nairobi’s business community has been largely positive: many small enterprises and tech start-ups welcomed the convenience and transparency of the online platform. Analysts say the digital licensing portal could boost the county’s own-source revenue collection while also encouraging more informal businesses to formalise. On the other hand, some entrepreneurs caution that adequate training and support will be needed to ensure all users — especially those with limited digital access — can fully benefit.
Looking ahead, Nairobi City County plans to roll out further enhancements to the NairobiPay portal, including mobile-app access, real-time permit tracking and integration with national tax and regulatory systems. The goal is to make Nairobi the leading regional hub for start-ups by simplifying business entry and growth-stage compliance. With the reduced licensing burden and improved digital infrastructure, the county aims to attract more ventures and investment to the capital.