Kenya launches first MSME Opportunity Readiness Index at SalesFest Africa

The index was unveiled on Thursday during the SalesFest Africa – Chanuka Jipange Edition.

Developed through the Chanuka Jipange national engagement programme, the index draws insights from more than 10,000 MSMEs across Kenya’s 47 counties. It assesses how ready small businesses are to move beyond informal survival models and plug into organized market systems that enable growth and scalability.

Speaking during the launch, Susan Auma Mang’eni, Principal Secretary in the State Department for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development, welcomed the findings, noting that they come at a crucial moment as the government reviews the national MSME policy framework.

She raised key questions emerging from the discussions around the report, including:

• How markets can be structured for sectors such as boda boda operators.
• How informal businesses like hawkers can be integrated into organised market systems.

Mang’eni said the insights from the Fursa Index could help inform the ongoing policy review, emphasising that effective policy must respond to the real experiences of entrepreneurs.

The Chanuka Jipange Journey

In her opening remarks, Eunice Maina-Mburu, CEO of 20X Entrepreneur and founder of the Chanuka Jipange movement, described the nationwide journey of engaging entrepreneurs across all 47 counties to understand barriers and opportunities for enterprise growth.

She said one of the most striking discoveries from the engagements was that many Kenyan entrepreneurs are already working extremely hard but remain trapped in what the report describes as a “transitioning hustle economy,” where effort is high but access to structured markets remains limited.

The Role of Structure in Economic Growth

Behavioural scientist and leadership coach Irene Njoroge highlighted the importance of systems in unlocking economic growth.

Quoting a key insight shared during the session, she noted: “The secret of change is not to push harder, it is to remove friction. Structure removes friction that keeps people stuck. When systems are structured people trust.”

She also identified three common mindsets that often prevent entrepreneurs from entering structured markets: Survival mindset, Blame mindset, and Hustle mindset.

According to Njoroge, overcoming these barriers requires building systems that reward consistency, quality and accountability.

Lessons from Structured Industries

Industry experts also shared examples of how structured markets operate in more organized sectors.

Clement Tulezi, Chief Executive Officer of the Kenya Flower Council, explained that the flower industry is among the most structured agricultural sectors in Kenya.

He noted that:

• Flower farms plant, harvest and export every day of the year.
• The industry has investors across every stage of the supply chain.
• Smallholder farmers are able to participate because standards and processes are clearly defined.

He summarised the industry’s approach by stating: “A flower is not a product. A flower is a process.”

Structuring Livestock Markets

Livestock expert David Maina contrasted the floriculture sector with the livestock industry, which he said remains largely disorganised despite its significant economic potential.

He called for the introduction of grading systems and feeding hubs similar to those proposed under the Galana Kulalu model, where livestock can be temporarily taken for feeding, weight improvement and standardised grading before entering formal markets.

Such systems, he argued, could unlock significant opportunities for pastoralists and smallholder livestock farmers.

Housing and Technology as Market Enablers

Other speakers highlighted how policy and technology can help create more structured markets for enterprises.

David Muiru, Managing Director of Glimco Limited, said the government’s Affordable Housing Programme is helping bring greater structure and professionalism to the real estate sector.

Meanwhile, Jimmy Bett, Managing Partner at Dibon Co Ltd, emphasized the importance of technology-driven systems such as record-keeping, customer tracking and service management in helping businesses transition from informal hustle models to structured markets.

Towards a Structured Opportunity Economy

Organisers said the launch of the Fursa Index marks the start of a broader national conversation on building structured opportunity systems capable of enabling Kenyan enterprises to scale, attract investment and compete globally.

The findings are expected to contribute to ongoing policy discussions and guide future efforts aimed at transitioning Kenyan MSMEs from effort-driven survival models into structured participation in formal markets.