Nakuru: Nakuru County Government will host a major Business Expo that will bring together corporate organizations and businesses drawn from different sectors of the economy to showcase their products, services, and capacity to serve the market in different counties. The event aims to provide a platform for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), cooperatives, manufacturers, and investors to engage, network, and showcase their innovations.
According to Kenya News Agency, County Executive Committee Member (CECM) in charge of Trade, Cooperative Development, Culture, and Tourism, Stephen Kuria, stated that the aim was to bring different businesses, stakeholders, and exhibitors together across the counties to have a conversation on sustainable partnership in trade and development from May 29th to May 31st this year. Kuria indicated that the event, to be held at the Rift Valley Sports Club, was part of the efforts by the County Government to attract both local and foreign investments and create employment opportunities.
The expo, themed ‘Building the Future: Driving Innovation and Growth through Trade and Technology,’ will target critical sectors of the economy like building and construction, agriculture, manufacturing, oil, gas and energy, mining, water, auto industry among others. Speaking during the Nakuru Trade Expo 2025 stakeholders’ briefing, Mr. Kuria explained that the event will also showcase latest technologies and innovations that are critical in enabling local companies to compete at the same level with their counterparts globally.
Kuria emphasized that trade remained central to empowering small businesses, creating jobs, attracting investments, and uplifting the livelihoods of Nakuru residents. He highlighted the importance of the County Cooperative Revolving Fund and the Enterprise Fund, two newly established financial programs offering affordable loans at low-interest rates to cooperatives, startups, and small businesses. ‘These funds aim to promote financial inclusion and strengthen local enterprises,’ he explained.
He said the expo was expected to lay out a blueprint for investors who needed to know opportunities the county has to offer, and called on the business community to take advantage of the event and learn of the opportunities available. The CECM further said this was an opportune time for other business players to come and grow networks, adding that the expo would also provide a platform for emerging entrepreneurs, with particular attention to high schools and college students.
He indicated that by involving students in the expo, they were targeting to inspire and cultivate entrepreneurial skills among the youth, ensuring they are well-prepared to contribute to the economy. He explained that the approach reflects a broader strategy of linking education, agriculture, and manufacturing in a way that benefits the city.
The expo will further offer local companies opportunities for partnerships that offer the best route for them to go global. At the same time, the expo will also feature a series of smaller meetings focusing on various topics, key among them investment, public-private partnerships, youth engagement, and governance. The young innovators, Kuria added, would have the opportunity to showcase their ideas and products, fostering a new generation of business leaders.
‘The expo will also focus on the environment and waste management, renewable energy, agribusiness, infrastructure, real estate and information technology-enabled services,’ he stated. The county government, the CECM added, wanted to use its potential in geothermal energy, agriculture, and real estate to market itself as the ideal investment destination. He said various studies had confirmed that Nakuru County had the most friendly-tax regime in the country, coupled with good governance, making it a favorable destination for both local and international investors.