already certified by the Kenya Bureau of Standards( KEBS). For small firms, the cost of repeating tests and meeting multiple requirements can be prohibitive.
Digital Divide
While e-commerce is growing, many SMEs still rely on physical markets, limited uptake of digital trade platforms and fragmented payment systems mean businesses struggle to reach consumers seamlessly across borders.
SME Capacity Gaps
Beyond external barriers, many SMEs also face internal challenges: a lack of knowledge about cross-border rules, limited access to financing for expansion, and weak logistics capabilities. Without targeted support, even the removal of NTBs would not guarantee their success in regional markets.
What Kenyan SMEs Can Do
Despite these challenges, Kenyan SMEs are not powerless. There are practical strategies that enterprises can adopt to survive and even thrive in the current environment.
Form Regional Partnerships
Instead of relying solely on cross-border exports, SMEs can build joint ventures or franchising models with local partners in EAC countries. This allows them to operate from within partner states, avoiding some restrictions and gaining local market knowledge. For example, a Kenyan food processor could partner with a distributor in Kigali to ensure a consistent presence in Rwanda’ s supermarkets.
Strengthen Value Chains
SMEs can design their operations to span across borders. By sourcing raw materials from one EAC country, processing in another, and distributing across the region, they create interdependence that makes it harder for any one government to impose barriers without harming its own industries. Agribusiness offers clear opportunities here, with regional supply chains for maize, milk, and horticultural products already developing.
Invest in Certification
Many NTBs are framed around standards and safety. SMEs that proactively secure certifications, whether KEBS marks, ISO quality standards, or food safety certifications like HACCP, are better positioned to access multiple markets. As the EAC moves towards harmonization of standards, early adopters will have a head start.
Leverage Digital Trade
E-commerce platforms such as Jumia, Masoko, and regional B2B marketplaces allow SMEs to bypass some physical barriers. Digital payments through M-Pesa Global, Flutterwave, or Chipper Cash make it easier to transact across borders. SMEs that embrace digital tools can reach new customers with lower overheads.
Organize Collective Advocacy
Individually, SMEs have little bargaining power. But by organizing through chambers of commerce, sector associations, or crossborder SME networks, they can push back against restrictive policies. For example, Kenya’ s private sector has successfully used dialogue platforms under the EAC Secretariat to challenge NTBs in the past.
Taken together, these strategies can help SMEs build resilience even when governments are slow to eliminate trade barriers.
Policy Shifts Needed to Unlock Regional Trade
While SMEs can adapt, unlocking the full potential of regional trade requires systemic reforms. Governments and regional institutions must act decisively to address persistent obstacles.
Full Implementation of the Common Market Protocol
The EAC already has rules guaranteeing free movement of goods, services, and people. The problem is enforcement. Governments must align domestic policies with regional commitments and avoid unilateral measures that undermine integration.
Mutual Recognition of Standards
One of the simplest ways to reduce costs for SMEs is to ensure that a product certified in one EAC country is accepted in all others. Fast-tracking mutual recognition agreements would go a long way in easing trade frictions.
Trade Facilitation
The expansion of one-stop border posts, such as those at Busia and Namanga, has already cut crossing times significantly. Scaling up such efforts and digitizing customs processes further will reduce delays and corruption risks. Simplified trade regimes, designed for small consignments, should also be expanded and better communicated to SMEs.
Institutionalized Dialogue
Abrupt policy changes are a major barrier. Governments should commit to structured dialogue with private sector stakeholders before introducing new trade measures. This would allow for smoother adjustment and reduce shocks to SMEs.
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The EAC has an opportunity to leapfrog by harmonizing rules on e-commerce, digital payments, and data flows. A regional digital single market would allow SMEs to sell online across the region without worrying about fragmented regulations. This would also prepare businesses to scale under the AfCFTA.
By prioritizing these reforms, the EAC can turn regional trade into a genuine growth engine for SMEs.
In Conclusion, Kenya’ s SMEs cannot afford to wait for AGOA’ s fate to be decided in Washington. The uncertainty around global trade preferences highlights the urgency of building resilient, diversified markets closer to home. The East African Community offers a natural platform for expansion, but persistent barriers continue to frustrate businesses.
SMEs can take practical steps by forming partnerships, investing in certifications, embracing digital tools, and advocating collectively to navigate these challenges. At the same time, governments must honor their commitments to regional integration by eliminating NTBs, harmonizing standards, and embracing digital trade.
Unlocking regional trade is not just about economics; it is about creating predictable opportunities for millions of entrepreneurs and workers who drive Kenya’ s economy. With coordinated action from both SMEs and policymakers, the EAC can become the launchpad for Kenya’ s next phase of growth, regardless of AGOA’ s future.
Lim Hazel is an SME programs specialist. You can commune with her via mail at: Limmasiga @ gmail. com.