President William Ruto has urged county government to address existing barriers of trade in order to attract domestic and external investments.
Speaking at the World Chambers Federation Africa Summit 2025, President Ruto said called on the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) through its devolved chapters to champion pro-business reforms, eliminate bureaucratic bottlenecks in order to support local entrepreneurs in the 47 counties.
“To encourage this, we are developing a County Ease of Doing Business Index to drive healthy competition, accountability, and progress,” he stated.
Among processes the government is seeking to support counties in adopting, is the Unified Business Permit which has since been rolled out in Nairobi County.
According to the President, chambers of commerce are critical in bringing proactive and solutions-oriented perspective which foster economic growth through public and private sector linkages.
President Ruto further highlighted the role of chambers in helping businesses navigate risk, unlock
opportunities, and expand into global markets.
“In Kenya, we fully embrace this transformation. In 2022, 41pc of our exports were destined for African countries. Our manufacturers and tech start-ups are expanding across the region, demonstrating our strong conviction that Kenya’s and Africa’s economic fortunes lie in intra-African trade and cooperation,” he added.
Kenya backs its investments in infrastructure such as railways, highways, and border posts to markets, fibre-optic networks, and renewable energy to continue supporting enterprise in order to take advantage of the African Continental Free Trade Area to boost exports and enhance economic growth.
