The roundtable brought together senior leaders from the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE), Safaricom, Britam Holdings, KCB Foundation, Equity Bank, BSD Group, and IFC-supported entrepreneurs under the SheWins Program, including Gobeba and WEConnect International.

The forum focused on:
* Showcasing impact of IFC gender programmes in the SME sector
* Sharing lessons from partnerships
* Identifying scalable solutions for inclusive growth in Africa

The KNCCI President highlighted:
* Collaboration with IFC under She Grows and the Jiinue Programme supporting MSMEs
* Promotion of AGPO and annual economic surveys to drive policy advocacy
* Establishment of KNCCI trade offices in China and Dubai to expand market access
* Advocacy for banking policy reforms to ease private sector credit constraints

Financial institutions reported measurable impact:
* Equity Bank has trained over 2 million women entrepreneurs and disbursed KES 100+ billion to women-led businesses
* NSE is advancing women’s participation in capital markets
* Absa Bank Kenya is strengthening mentorship and market linkages

In closing, Robin Mearns reaffirmed the World Bank Group’s gender strategy anchored on digital inclusion, access to capital, and social protection.

KNCCI continues to champion structured, scalable solutions that advance women’s economic empowerment and inclusive growth.

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In an evaluation meeting this morning Friday 27th June 2025, the two institutions reviewed the progress of their existing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which has already delivered significant impact. To date, over 48,000 SMEs—including those in agriculture, mining, and the extractive sectors—have received tailored training. In addition, Equity Bank has disbursed over KES 8.7 billion in financing to more than 8,500 KNCCI members, with a strong focus on youth- and women-led enterprises.

Beyond financial support, the partnership has facilitated trade missions to key regional markets, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, where Equity Bank’s presence has enabled KNCCI members to explore and secure new business opportunities.

Looking ahead, the two organizations announced plans to scale up their county outreach, with new training sessions scheduled for counties such as Isiolo and Uasin Gishu. The long-term goal is to reach all county chambers across the country.

As new sectoral opportunities emerge, particularly in the leather industry, Equity Bank has identified global market linkages and entered strategic partnerships, including with Italian investors. KNCCI has pledged its support through policy advocacy and market access facilitation, leveraging its strong networks with regional governments and embassies.

The KNCCI–Equity Bank collaboration continues to demonstrate the power of public-private partnerships in unlocking growth, innovation, and financial inclusion for Kenyan enterprises.

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Acknowledging the significant role MSMEs play in driving economic growth, we agreed that Equity Bank will extend financial support to KNCCI members engaged in both local and international trade.

The two also explored mechanisms to support businesses facing cash flow challenges due to delayed payments, with Equity considering tailored financial solutions as KNCCI continues its advocacy for the settlement of pending bills by private companies, county governments, and the national government.

The meeting concluded with a firm commitment by both institutions to deepen collaboration in empowering and sustaining Kenya’s MSME sector.

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As a follow up, the two entities today 13th May 2020 held a consultative meeting to discuss and align on how to leverage synergies.

Attending the inception meeting were the bank’s Chief Commercial Officer Polycarp Igathe, KNCCI President Mr. Richard Ngatia, KNCCI CEO Ms. Angela Ndambuki, Rose Mwaura, Chairperson KNCCI legal and Regulatory Committee and Chairman –ICPAK and Mr. Sam Omukoko, the Group Managing Director and CEO Metropol Corporation.

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1. Coordinate collaborative activities and project identification
2. Monitor implementation of the joint activities
3. Advise parties on emerging areas of collaboration.

The MoU will enable an aligned approach between the Chamber and the association in the pursuit of advocating for a favorable operating environment for enterprises in the Country.

Through the Joint Management Committee, the MoU seeks to:

1. Facilitate the on boarding of all Chamber members trained to the KBA’s Inuka Enterprise Program,E-learning Program and Equity MSME virtual academy
2. Support KNCCI to mobilize its members who will be trained in all the 47 counties.
3. Facilitate the trained Chamber members access Equity Bank financial services.
4. Facilitate the trained Chamber members form an online group for linkage and networking.
5. Provide post training linkages and networking opportunities to all trained Chamber members

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