The Cabinet Secretary for Investments, Trade and Industry (MITI), Hon. Lee Kinyanjui, has presented a Ksh 500 million cheque to Githunguri Dairy Cooperative Society (GDC) as part of the ongoing disbursements under the World Bank-funded Supporting Access to Finance for Economic Recovery (SAFER) Programme.
The funds, channelled through the Kenya Development Corporation (KDC), aim to unlock credit, spur innovation, and strengthen resilience among micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
Hon. Kinyanjui commended GDC for what he described as a “strong track record in professional management and sound governance,” noting the cooperative’s expanding footprint in Nairobi and Nakuru counties.
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He added that KDC is exploring reforms to make long-term financing more accessible.
“Through the KDC, we are exploring ways to extend the lending period from the current seven years to ten years and reduce the interest rate from 9% to 8%. The objective is to make long-term credit more accessible to investors and institutions, particularly those involved in capital-intensive industrial projects,” he said.
Principal Secretary for Investment Promotion, Abubakar Hassan Abubakar, highlighted the government’s commitment to strengthening MSME financing under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).
The SAFER Programme demonstrates the Government’s commitment to de-risking MSME financing. We are empowering farmers and small enterprises to drive inclusive economic growth.
World Bank Financial Sector Specialist, Ms. Leah Kiwara, noted that the partnership is critical in bridging the MSME financing deficit.
“Today’s partnership is a clear demonstration of efforts to close the financing gap that continues to limit the growth of MSMEs. As we move forward, monitoring impact and highlighting success stories will be essential to sustaining meaningful growth,” she said.
KDC Director General, Ms. Norah Ratemo, disclosed that the corporation has so far disbursed Ksh 3.2 billion to 11 SACCOs for onward lending, supporting 36,990 MSMEs—among them 12,221 women-owned enterprises—and creating 25,637 jobs across 32 counties. She added that an additional Ksh 3.9 billion has been reserved to onboard 13 more SACCOs under the digital lending window.
Githunguri Dairy Cooperative Society, one of Kenya’s fastest-growing cooperatives, has expanded to nine branches across Nairobi and Nakuru.
According to GDC official Mr. Charles Kioko, the cooperative’s Bonyeza Digital Loan product has become a transformative tool for MSMEs, offering fast, affordable, and accessible mobile-based financing for farmers and small traders.
