Nairobi, June 29 -- As Kenya marked the World MSME Day, policymakers, development partners, financial institutions and business leaders once again reflected on one of the country's most pressing challenges: how to create more jobs. Yet the question itself may obscure a more important reality.

The issue is not where jobs will come from, because we already know the answer. Across Kenya, millions of jobs are created, sustained and expanded every day by micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

According to the 2026 Economic Survey, Kenya created 882,100 new jobs in 2025, with more than 716,800 jobs originating from the informal sector, where the vast majority of MSMEs operate. Informal sector employment rose to 18.1 million people, hig...