East Africa’s Micro, Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (MSMEs) to Converge in Nairobi for Landmark 25th MSME Trade Fair and Exhibition
NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 6 – The Government of Kenya is hosting the 25th EAC MSME Trade Fair which is set to take place from Friday, 7th November 2025, to Sunday, 16th November 2025, at Uhuru Gardens, Langata Road, Nairobi.
Themed, “25 Years of EAC Integration: Advancing Innovation and Regional Value Chains for Competitive MSMEs Towards Sustainable Development,” celebrates the creativity of East Africa’s MSMEs while reaffirming our commitment to deepening economic integration under the framework of the East African Community (EAC) Treaty and the EAC Common Market Protocol.
The 25th edition will bring together more than 3,000 exhibitors drawn from across the region, all showcasing products and services that represent East Africa’s diversity, cultural expression and innovation.
This year’s event is historic, marking the Silver Jubilee Edition of a regional initiative that began twenty-five years ago in Arusha, Tanzania, in November 1999, following the signing of the Treaty for the Establishment of the East African Community, which then comprised the three founding Member states: Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.
Additionally, EAC MSME Trade Fair has evolved into the region’s largest and most influential marketplace for innovators, artisans and entrepreneurs, driving integration, enterprise, and shared prosperity across the eight Partner States of the Community: Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Somalia.
The Fair also coincides with the tenure of our President, H.E. Dr William Ruto, as the chairperson of the Summit of EAC Heads of State, which presents us with an opportunity to affirm Kenya’s commitment to regional integration and cement his legacy in championing regional economic growth and shared prosperity for inclusive growth through trade.
During the Trade Fair, the International Trade Centre – ITC will officially launch its new regional office in Nairobi, a continental hub for Africa, further solidifying Kenya’s role as a gateway for facilitating continental trade and supporting MSMEs.
The event positions Kenya as a regional champion for sustainable economic development and inclusive growth.
The 25th edition will also serve as a call to action for Partner States to accelerate the implementation of a joint East Africa Market Protocol, which enables our entrepreneurs to operate freely across borders, serving a unified market of over 300 million consumers.
This will strengthen the EAC Common Market and align our regional trade framework with the broader goals of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), enabling cross-border trade, reducing market barriers and stimulating new opportunities for young entrepreneurs and women-led enterprises to scale their businesses beyond national borders.
The trade fair will feature a high-level opening session by President William Ruto on Monday, 10th November 2025 a ministerial roundtable with the International Trade Centre (ITC) to discuss the domestication of the global MSMEs, Call to Action and address unresolved challenges such as Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs), with participation from EAC ministers, AfCFTA and major development partners.
The Exhibitors are drawn mainly from the MSME sector, A sector that plays a key role in Kenya’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda and is vital to addressing unemployment, accounting for over 70 per cent of employment in the country.
“We therefore urge all exhibitors to take full advantage of this opportunity to form strategic business partnerships, learn from peers across the region, and explore export opportunities beyond national borders”, said Dr Wycliffe Oparanya,Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Cooperatives & MSMEs Development.
He added that Kenya extends a warm welcome to all our brothers and sisters from the East African Community and beyond thanking the EAC Secretariat, CMSEO–EA, Partner States and all supporting institutions for their continued collaboration in strengthening the MSME ecosystem.
“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 African Community”.
