The government of Kenya has opened a new Biashara Center in Mombasa. The new center will enable Kenyans in the coastal region to access government services under one roof.
The opening of the center comes as the Ministry of Industrialization, Trade and Enterprise Development (MoITED) in collaboration with the KEBS move to enhance efficiency and ease of doing business in the country.
“We recognize the significant role SMEs will play in post-COVID -19 economic recovery and the urgent need to address obstacles limiting the growth of MSMEs in the country. With the new Biashara Center MSMEs can now access services from Public Institutions in the entrepreneurial ecosystem under one roof in a timely and effective manner,” said Lt. Col. (Rtd) Bernard Njiraini, Managing Director, KEBS.
The new Biashara Center is located at the KEBS Coast Region office. It is a one-stop shop for essential business and trade services such as tax compliance registration, MSMEs loans and branding registration support. The center will also provide training on production, product certification and systems accreditation.
Government agencies already set up at the center include
- Kenya Accreditation Service (KENAS)
- Kenya Industrial Property Institute (KIPI)
- Kenya Industrial Estates (KIE)
- Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA)
- Numerical Machining Complex (NMC)
- Kenya Industrial and Development Institute (KIRDI)
- Micro and Small Enterprises Authority (MSEA), among others.
The center also houses modern testing and calibration facilities which are equipped with testing laboratories including Food and Agriculture and Microbiology. “The offices and laboratories that offer testing services are fully accredited and compliant with ISO 17025 requirement for conformity assessment,” added Mr. Njiraini.
Currently, KEBS Coast region office supports over 2,500 firms through product certification including 505 SMEs across coastal counties; Mombasa, Kilifi, Kwale, Taita Taveta, Lamu, and parts of Tana River. The office also serves Taveta, Lunga Lunga and Shimoni Boarder points.