Nation Media Group's annual SME conference to kick off Thursday

A pre-launch of the second edition of Nation Media Group's (NMG) annual SME conference kicked off on Wednesday as organisers seek to discuss ways of enhancing access to credit for small and medium-sized enterprises amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

The conference also seeks to provide a platform to inspire home-grown businesses which have been the country’s support system since last year when the pandemic disrupted supply chains and support export businesses.

In the pre-launch ceremony held at the Nation Centre in Nairobi, the event’s main partners also said that focus on taxation and government facilitation for businesses and discussing ways for businesses to survive post-Covid-19 will be key, to spotlight the main issues affecting SMEs in the country and allow for helpful dialogues that will spur growth for the sector.

“This country relies on SMEs, we saw during Covid-19 how they came up with a number of new initiatives like making hospital beds, ventilators and other things. This is another time where we bring together all the SMEs in this country for them to share their experiences, learn from others and interact with government,” NMG Chief Executive Officer Stephen Gitagama said.

The expo is planned for Thursday, Friday and Saturday next week at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC). Thousands of attendees and exhibitors in the SMEs category are expected to show up.

Last year's expo was attended by over 6,000 people and about 100 exhibitors.

Mr Gitagama said NMG is planning to rollout county editions of SMEs Conferences and Expos as a way to include all members of the sector, who cannot make it to Nairobi.

The Kenya Private Sector Alliance (Kepsa) also wants focus placed on supporting many SMEs that are still reeling from the hard impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, saying that as at October last year, many businesses were still recording high or very high impact, according to surveys it conducted.

“This year, we want to focus on regulators for them to understand that their role is to facilitate and not to police businesses. The reason many businesses don’t grow is because of regulators’ approach,” said Kepsa CEO Carole Karuga.

Ms Karuga noted there is great potential in the country to establish and grow businesses evidenced by the many businesses that were established last year- at a rate of 326 new businesses daily- and thus the government’s attitude was critical to their growth or death.

Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) also noted that gaps in access to credit for SMEs still continue to choke the sector, a reality that has recently seen the government, banks and other development partners beginning initiatives to establish credit guarantee schemes for the sector to enhance lending to small businesses.