This was shared during the opening of the 25th EAC Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Trade Fair held at Uhuru Gardens in Nairobi on Wednesday, 12 November, where businesses from across the region are showcasing innovation, enterprise and cross-border collaboration. The Trade Fair was officially opened by President William Ruto, who is also the Chair of the EAC Summit of Heads of State.
Speaking during the opening ceremony, President Ruto reaffirmed the commitment of EAC Heads of State to resolve persistent non-tariff barriers that continue to constrain cross-border trade. He noted that the surge in regional trade and investment reflects a maturing internal market, one increasingly defined by innovation, competitiveness, and the shared determination of East Africans to trade more with each other and prosper together.
President Ruto further noted that the exhibition provides a critical moment to confront issues hampering trade ahead of the upcoming EAC Summit set for early December 2025. “The conversations shaping this Trade Fair are ambitious and action-oriented, focusing on digital transformation, affordable finance, expanded markets, and green enterprise,” he said. Held under the theme “25 Years of EAC Integration: Advancing Innovation and Regional Value Chains for Competitive MSMEs towards Sustainable Development,” the 2025 Trade Fair brings together over 3,000 exhibitors from all eight Partner States.
The Fair runs from 7–16 November 2025 and is organised by the EAC Secretariat in collaboration with the Confederation of Micro and Small Enterprises Organisation (CMSEO–EA) and Partner States. It serves as a dynamic marketplace for showcasing products, expanding market access and building regional business networks.
Through exhibitions, workshops, and business-to-business engagements, participants gain new skills, explore emerging technologies, and strengthen their competitiveness within and beyond the region. On his part, Cooperatives and MSMEs Development Cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Oparanya emphasised the need to strengthen access to finance to ensure that MSMEs can obtain affordable and inclusive financial services tailored to their realities.
He also called for the removal of barriers to trade and stronger support for cross-border linkages to expand access to regional and continental markets.“We must prioritise enabling MSMEs to adopt technology, embrace e-commerce, and embed sustainability in their business models,” he said. “Fostering joint programmes and harmonised policies that deepen integration and enhance resilience will be key to ensuring that MSMEs continue driving our region’s economic transformation.”
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