Kenya to Host Silver Jubelee EAC MSME Trade Fair in Nairobi
Cabinet Secretary for Cooperatives and MSMEs Development, Hon. Wycliffe Oparanya addressing the press in Nairobi on Wednesday 5th November 2025.
Kenya will this week host the 25th East African Community (EAC) Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Trade Fair and Exhibition at Uhuru Gardens, Nairobi, from November 7 to 16. The event marks a major milestone in the region’s integration journey, bringing together more than 3,000 exhibitors from the eight EAC Partner States to showcase innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship as the community celebrates 25 years of economic collaboration.
Speaking to the media in Nairobi on Wednesday, Cabinet Secretary for Cooperatives and MSMEs Development, Hon. Wycliffe Oparanya, said the 2025 edition, held under the theme “25 Years of EAC Integration: Advancing Innovation and Regional Value Chains for Competitive MSMEs Towards Sustainable Development”—reflects the region’s progress in promoting cross-border trade and empowering small businesses.
“This Silver Jubilee edition reaffirms our shared vision of an East Africa where goods, services, labour, and capital move freely. We are calling on all Partner States to deepen implementation of the East Africa Market Protocol to empower our entrepreneurs and unlock a market of over 300 million consumers,” said Dr Oparanya.
The CS noted that the fair coincides with President Dr William Ruto’s tenure as Chairperson of the Summit of EAC Heads of State, offering Kenya a unique opportunity to reaffirm its commitment to regional economic integration. The event will also feature the official launch of the International Trade Centre’s (ITC) new regional office in Nairobi, establishing Kenya as a continental hub for trade facilitation and MSME development.
The high-level opening ceremony, to be presided over by President Ruto on Monday, November 10, will be followed by a ministerial roundtable hosted in collaboration with ITC to address key challenges affecting MSMEs, including Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs). A Regional Symposium focusing on innovation, integration, and value-chain development will also take place during the week-long exhibition.
Dr Oparanya said the MSME sector remains central to Kenya’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), contributing over 70 percent of total employment. He urged entrepreneurs to leverage the platform to expand their networks and explore export markets across the region.
“This fair is not just an exhibition, it’s a gateway for MSMEs to connect, learn, and expand beyond borders. We encourage exhibitors to explore new partnerships that drive inclusive growth,” he said.
First held in Arusha, Tanzania, in 1999 following the signing of the Treaty for the Establishment of the EAC, the trade fair has grown into the region’s most influential marketplace for innovators and artisans, strengthening integration and promoting youth and women-led enterprises across East Africa.
Kenya is also using the occasion to extend a warm welcome to delegates from across the region, inviting them to experience the country’s diverse attractions from Nairobi National Park, located just minutes from the venue, to the beaches of the Coast and the scenic national parks.
Dr Oparanya thanked the EAC Secretariat, CMSEO–EA, Partner States, and all supporting institutions for their continued collaboration in empowering MSMEs.
“Together, let us use this platform to unlock the full potential of regional integration, harness the energy of our entrepreneurs, and reaffirm our shared commitment to a prosperous, inclusive, and united East Africa,” he said.