Kakuma's New Business Center Offers Streamlined Services
The "entrepreneurship ecosystem" aims to attract investment into Turkana County and the Kakuma refugee camp.
In May of 2023, Turkana County’s business and political leaders gathered under ceremonial tents on the outskirts of Kakuma town in northern Kenya to officially open the area’s new Biashara (“business”) Centre, a single access point for essential government and business services. The centre was developed by the Turkana County Government, IFC, and UNHCR.
“The economy of Kakuma, and largely Turkana, is changing for the better,” said Turkana County’s Deputy Governor, John Erus. “KKCF [the Kakuma Kalobeyei Challenge Fund] has added a new element by bringing the private sector into an area that has depended on humanitarian efforts for a long time. It is important for the people in Kakuma and Turkana to also see that shift in perspective and that they can empower their own lives.”
KKCF is IFC’s first refugee-focused private sector development program in sub-Saharan Africa.
Residents in the Kakuma area previously had to travel up to 120 kilometers to the next closest centre in Lodwar, Turkana County’s capital. When the Biashara Centre becomes fully operational, it will make it faster, easier, and cheaper to access government services important for economic development, such as registering businesses, applying for permits, and requesting small business loans.
"This centre will play a pivotal role in the creation of wealth and job opportunities for both Turkana residents and refugees,” said H.E. Hon. Jeremiah Lomorukai Napotikan, the Governor of Turkana County. “We are committed to nurturing small businesses and entrepreneurs, and the Biashara Centre is a significant step in that direction.”
The establishment of the Biashara Centre is part of a broader effort by IFC and others to create a more conducive business environment and entrepreneurship ecosystem to attract investment into Turkana County and the Kakuma refugee camp. It represents the importance of offering support for both refugees and their host communities.
IFC also supported the development of the county’s investment framework, leading to the launch of the Turkana County Investment Promotion Portal System, an interactive online platform for investors, and the Turkana County Investment Promotion Bill.
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