MSEA Champions Innovation as Inuka Accelerator Graduates First Cohort

 

The Micro and Small Enterprises Authority (MSEA) has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening Kenya’s entrepreneurship ecosystem as it celebrated the graduation of the inaugural cohort of the Inuka Accelerator Program. The ceremony, held today, was led by MSEA Board Chair James Mureu and attended by key industry stakeholders, including Kenya Bankers Association (KBA) Chief Executive Officer Raimond Molenje.

The event marked a major milestone for the 24 Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) that successfully completed the program. Each enterprise received a business grant of KSh 100,000 to support the next stage of growth and innovation. The Inuka SME Enterprise Accelerator Program is a banking industry–led initiative implemented by KBA through the Centre for Sustainable Finance and Enterprise Development (CSFED). It equips MSMEs with mentorship, financial education, and practical tools to scale sustainably.

In his keynote address, Chair Mureu praised the cohort for their resilience and innovation, noting that MSMEs remain central to Kenya’s economic transformation under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) and Vision 2030. He emphasized that empowering small enterprises is essential for national growth. Mureu also commended KBA and CSFED for their leadership in promoting transparency, fairness, and innovation within the enterprise finance sector.

The MSEA Chair further lauded the Authority’s Director General and Chief Executive Officer, Henry Rithaa, for his strategic leadership in positioning MSEA as a vital catalyst for MSME development. Under Rithaa’s stewardship, MSEA has pursued reforms, strengthened partnerships, and championed innovation-driven initiatives aimed at formalizing and scaling small businesses across the country.

MSEA reiterated its dedication to supporting a thriving MSME sector through industrial development, digital transformation, enhanced financial linkages, and improved policy frameworks.

“As we celebrate our graduates, we look forward to supporting their continued growth and advancing a future where enterprise thrives, innovation flourishes, and every Kenyan entrepreneur has the opportunity to succeed,” Chair Mureu said in closing.

The successful completion of the Inuka Accelerator’s first cohort signals a growing commitment to strengthening Kenya’s entrepreneurial capacity and driving inclusive economic growth.