Local SMEs to benefit from new enterprise hub

From left: KNCCI CEO Samuel Matonda, ICC Deputy Director Gabriel Petrus, Eric Rutto (KNCCI) and Investera Plus Africa Executive Director Tito Mutai. [Courtesy]

Kenya’s SMEs will benefit from skills transfer and business opportunities from multinationals following the setting up of an entrepreneurial centre in Nairobi. 

The International Centre of Entrepreneurship Hub will be hosted by the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) with support from Investera Plus Africa, following a partnership between the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa.

ICC Deputy Director for Global Partnerships and Development Gabriel Petrus said Kenya will now be the entrepreneurship hub for East and Central Africa. Other countries set to be regional hubs are Ghana, Morocco and Nigeria.

Speaking during an engagement meeting with small and medium-sized enterprises representatives at a Nairobi hotel, Mr Petrus said ICC picked Nairobi because of its vibrancy in digital technology.

“The choice of Nairobi was natural, it’s one of the most vibrant technology hubs in Africa,” he said.

Petrus said there are many opportunities in Kenya including in agribusiness, manufacturing and information technology services.

“We are here to work with KNCCI to take this to the next level. As we think small let’s also think big and deliver on the issue of digitising SMEs, upscaling companies, training people,” he said.

The Nairobi centre will serve as a platform to scale globally the most successful local and regional entrepreneurial initiatives driven by chambers of commerce and innovative partners. 

KNCCI First Vice President Eric Rutto said the hub will serve 12 countries.

“We are now doing a pilot study to see what the best practices for us as we go forward to set up this entrepreneurship centre by business people, for business people,” he said.