Small business owners in Mombasa have been urged to formally register their enterprises to improve their access to loans, grants, government tenders and other business opportunities.
Business Registration Service (BRS) Board Chair Hamisi Mwaguya said registration gives businesses legal recognition and can improve their chances of accessing financing and government programmes.
Mwaguya spoke in Kisauni Sub-County during an initiative targeting micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), where trained women and youth groups were issued with certificates.
He said formalising businesses would also help entrepreneurs position their enterprises for growth and access to wider markets.
BRS official Shalin Wawira said the registration process had been simplified through eCitizen and BRS online platforms, making it easier for entrepreneurs to formalise their businesses.
She encouraged traders operating informally to take advantage of the digital registration platforms and obtain the necessary documentation for their enterprises.
Meanwhile, Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) Mombasa Chapter Chairman Abud Jamal Said said the organisation would support newly registered businesses through mentorship, increased visibility and market linkages.
Beneficiaries welcomed the initiative, saying the training and registration would help them strengthen their businesses and encourage more traders to formalise their operations.
Juma Mashuhuri of Pamoja Alliance in Kisauni said the programme would help beneficiaries expand their enterprises while creating opportunities to empower other small-scale traders.