In his address, KNCCI President Dr. Erick Rutto called on the government to fulfill key commitments made earlier this year during the Chamber’s engagement with national leadership at State House. He urged action on critical issues such as clearing pending bills, granting SMEs better access to government tenders, improving access to affordable finance, lowering interest rates, and creating a conducive tax environment to drive enterprise growth.

Dr. Rutto further encouraged county chapters to play a stronger role in advocating for SME needs at the county level and to collaborate closely with the headquarters on national policy matters. He highlighted several initiatives championed by the Chamber to address business challenges, including:

• Partnerships with financial institutions to improve access to credit.

• Collaboration with the Africa Guarantee Fund to enable SMEs secure financing without collateral.

• Joint programs with the International Labour Organization to combat unemployment through skills development.

• Launch of the Chamber Business Academy to build members’ capacity through continuous training.

• Establishment of the National Chamber of Commerce Sacco to expand financing opportunities for members.

Responding to the Chamber’s concerns, CS Lee Kinyanjui reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting businesses. He noted that the Central Bank of Kenya has already engaged financial institutions to lower lending rates, leading to increased uptake of credit. He also announced the removal of taxes on various packaging materials to boost value addition and enhance competitiveness of key exports such as tea and coffee.

The CS underscored manufacturing as a priority growth driver for Kenya’s economy, calling on the private sector to capitalize on opportunities within export processing zones and county aggregation centers, which he observed have been underutilized by local investors. On innovation, he encouraged businesses to position themselves in emerging industries such as electric mobility to gain early advantage in new markets.

Speaking at the meeting, Ambassador Adji highlighted the strong potential for economic cooperation between Kenya and Indonesia, citing shared characteristics such as youthful populations and strategic positioning along the Indian Ocean. He noted that Indonesia brings a robust industrial base while Kenya contributes dynamism and innovation. The Ambassador identified skills exchange as an immediate area of collaboration, offering opportunities for Kenyan students in Indonesian institutions. He further emphasized the importance of partnerships in geothermal development, mining, and aquaculture, and called on KNCCI to facilitate stronger linkages between businesses from both countries.

With the NGC meeting successfully concluded, focus now turns to the upcoming KNCCI Annual General Meeting scheduled later this year.

The post KNCCI Hosts National Governing Council Meeting in Nairobi appeared first on KNCCI.

The Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) today welcomed a delegation from the Malawi Bureau of Standards (MBS) at its headquarters in Nairobi. The delegation is in Kenya on a benchmarking mission aimed at strengthening standards harmonization and enhancing collaboration with the private sector.

The meeting, led by Chair intra Africa trade at KNCCI Felix Chege, explored practical ways in which MBS can work more closely with the Malawi Chamber of Commerce and Industry as partners rather than regulators. Discussions covered key areas such as certification, standards awareness, and capacity building, with the objective of improving compliance, quality assurance, and competitiveness in Malawi’s private sector.

A central focus of the talks was inclusivity, particularly how segmentation strategies can better support SMEs, women, and youth entrepreneurs. By aligning standards with private sector needs, the two institutions emphasized the importance of creating an enabling environment that empowers all categories of businesses to access local, regional, and global markets.

The delegation, led by Prof. Bernard Thole, Director General of MBS, underscored the significance of the mission in the context of Malawi’s recent ratification and deposit of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) instruments. He noted that as a major exporter of sugar, tobacco, cotton, soybeans, and nuts — with Malawi accounting for over 90% of the groundnuts imported into Kenya — aligning standards is vital for boosting cross-border trade and regional competitiveness.

Both teams also explored opportunities to leverage the strong logistics and trade linkages between Kenya and Malawi to improve the flow of both raw materials and finished goods. The discussions highlighted the role of chambers of commerce in facilitating market access, fostering private sector growth, and maximizing the benefits of AfCFTA for businesses in both countries.

KNCCI reaffirmed its commitment to advancing partnerships that promote standards harmonization, inclusive trade, and cross-border collaboration, ensuring that businesses — especially SMEs — are well-positioned to seize emerging opportunities in the regional and global marketplace.

The post KNCCI Hosts Malawi Bureau of Standards for Benchmarking Mission on Standards Harmonization and Private Sector Collaboration appeared first on KNCCI.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is fast becoming an indispensable tool in enhancing efficiency, innovation, and competitiveness across sectors. Recognizing its transformative potential, the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI), in collaboration with Qucoon Kenya, hosted the first-ever Generative AI Sensitization Forum under the theme “Unlocking the Power of Generative AI.”
The session brought together KNCCI members from diverse sectors including insurance, finance, microfinance, and ICT, to explore practical applications of AI and its impact on the future of business.
Led by Yinka Daramola, CEO of Qucoon Kenya a tech consulting firm with presence in Nigeria, Kenya, Dubai, South Africa, England, and Canada the forum featured live demos on Qoonity, agentic AI, AI-powered banking, and a roadmap to building robust GenAI systems.
We thank Qucoon Kenya for partnering with KNCCI in this groundbreaking initiative, as we continue to position our members at the forefront of digital transformation.
Stay connected as we champion innovation, inclusivity, and digital growth for Kenyan enterprises.

The post Unlocking the Power of Generative AI – KNCCI & Qucoon Lead the Way appeared first on KNCCI.