MOMBASA, Kenya—Small-scale traders and community groups in Kisauni, Mombasa County, are being encouraged to formalise their businesses to improve their chances of accessing credit, investment and wider market opportunities.
The campaign, spearheaded by the Business Registration Service (BRS), brought together government officials, business leaders and community organisations to sensitise participants on the importance of registering their enterprises and the available legal structures.
BRS official Shalin Wawera said the training equipped participants with information on the requirements for registering business names, companies, welfare groups and associations, enabling them to identify structures suited to their activities.
Wawera said formal registration could improve business visibility and make it easier for entrepreneurs to seek financial support.
Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry chairman Abud Jamal Said said registration could position small businesses to attract investment, establish partnerships and benefit from support offered by financial institutions and other organisations.
He urged traders to view registration as a step towards business growth rather than merely a tax obligation.
Said added that formalising businesses could open doors to opportunities such as contracts with public institutions and larger organisations.
The Business Registration Service said entrepreneurs could register their businesses through the government’s eCitizen platform without necessarily hiring a lawyer. Registration agents operating in cybercafés can also assist applicants through the process.
For community organisations in Kisauni, the initiative could help address challenges that have limited their members’ access to credit.
Juma Mashuri, chairperson of a local umbrella organisation representing 30 groups, said many members operated small businesses but lacked adequate knowledge of formal registration procedures.
Mashuri said some groups had encountered difficulties obtaining bank loans because their businesses were not registered, making it harder to meet lenders’ requirements.
He said the training had given participants a better understanding of the registration process and how formalising their operations could improve their prospects of securing financing.
Organisers said the initiative formed part of a wider national programme that could be extended to other areas, including the coastal counties of Kilifi, Kwale and Tana River.
The campaign seeks to encourage more small-scale traders and community groups to formalise their operations, strengthen record-keeping and improve their visibility as they pursue opportunities in an increasingly competitive business environment.
