NMG to host sixth SME conference next week
Customers purchase clothes during the 5th edition of the SMEs Conference and Expo on March 21, 2024 at the KICC courtyard in Nairobi.
The Nation Media Group (NMG) will host the 6th edition of its SME Conference and Expo, focusing on empowering MSMEs through technology and innovation, at the KICC Courtyard in Nairobi from March 26-28, 2025.
Wycliffe Oparanya, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Cooperatives and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development, will be the chief guest at the conference, which is in its sixth year.
Key theme
The Expo will bring together a wealth of experience from successful micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and industry regulators in an enriching discussion guided by this year's theme, 'Empowering SMEs to Innovate for Resilience'.
Participants will benefit from panel discussions on critical issues such as affordable credit and market creation and sourcing. There will also be masterclasses on government and taxation, exporting and importing, and skills and training.
NMG expects over 200 exhibitors at the 2025 conference. Strategic partners from both the private and public sectors will benefit from pre-event activities, including promotion of the conference through NMG platforms such as Daily Nation, Business Daily, NTV and Nation.Africa.
There will be live coverage on NTV during the official opening ceremony and the first panel discussion. Strategic partners can also benefit during the event through social media support on trending topics.
Post-event benefits for strategic partners include testimonials and exhibition images.
"This year, we expect to have more strategic partners from both the private and public sectors, especially innovators, financial institutions, development partners and parastatals, among others, who play a key role in the development of MSMEs. We are targeting over 200 exhibitors to showcase their products and services," NMG said in a statement.
Exhibitor spotlight
The inaugural SMEs Conference & Expo convened in 2020 under the theme, “Powering SMEs” attracted 6,000 participants, 91 exhibitors, and parastatal heads. It was graced by seven cabinet secretaries and presided over by the then CS for Interior and Coordination of National Government Fred Matiangi.
Since then, the expo has grown in strength and numbers, attracting more exhibitors and other participants.
The 5th edition held last year under the theme "Promoting Green Financing Initiatives for MSMEs for Sustainable Economic Growth" attracted about 118 exhibitors and about 9,500 participants over the three days of the expo.
The conference was graced by two cabinet secretaries and chaired by the then CS for Cooperatives and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Development, with the participation of the leadership of the SAGAs within the state department.
The expo fits in well with the government’s Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) which envisages MSMEs sector to be a catalyst in creation of employment and livelihood opportunities, particularly for the poor and marginalized groups.
Access to cheap credit is one of the ways of empowering MSMEs, which is why this year, the NMG invited Elizabeth Nkukuu, Acting Chief Executive Officer, Hustler Fund.
Other panelists include Samuel Omukoko, the General Director, Metropol CRB.
Official data shows that there are over 7.4 million MSMEs in Kenya, employing more than 15 million people.
MSMEs continued to be a significant source of funding for the banking industry, accounting for 14 percent and 57 percent of total customer deposits held in commercial banks and microfinance banks, respectively.
"While policies exist, opportunities must be deliberately created for MSMEs to ride on and achieve optimal performance, hence the annual conference and expo for the sector," said NMG.
dakure@ke.nationmedia.com