EAC MSMEs Trade Fair Concludes with Tanzanian Innovation Clinching Best Exhibitor Award
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 19th November, 2025: East Africans stand to gain from more integrated markets, better access to financing and wider opportunities for small businesses to grow, following commitments made by Partner State government officials and sector players during the 25th East African Community (EAC) Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Trade Fair held in Nairobi, Kenya.
Partner State Ministers responsible for Trade and MSME Development, as well as EAC Affairs, also committed to accelerating MSME competitiveness within the evolving green economy, noting the importance of supporting MSMEs through targeted green-finance mechanisms, technical assistance and closer collaboration with business support organisations.
The Fair also showcased the type of innovation that can unlock these opportunities, with Tanzanian electric-vehicle manufacturer Kaypee Motors named the overall exhibition winner. The manufacturer was chosen for its six-hour-charge electric mini-van designed to deliver affordable, eco-friendly mobility across the region.
The week-long exhibition drew thousands of entrepreneurs showcasing products ranging from agro-processing and crafts to digital solutions and green technologies. Top performers recognised during the closing ceremony included Rwanda’s Zima Healthy Group as first runner-up and Kenya’s Authentic Traditional Cooking as second runner-up, reflecting the depth of talent and innovation across all Partner States.
The winning exhibitors were selected by a judging panel comprising two representatives from each Partner State and the EAC Secretariat, using criteria that assessed originality and market readiness, product quality and display, alignment to the theme, stand presentation and overall customer engagement.
On his end, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Cooperatives and MSMEs Development, Hon. Wycliffe Oparanya, commended the National and Regional Organising Committees, Partner States and the EAC Secretariat for delivering a seamless and impactful event.
“We celebrate the creativity and resilience of our entrepreneurs. This Fair opens new opportunities for partnerships, investment and expanded regional markets,” he said.
In her remarks, the EAC Secretary General, Hon. Veronica Nduva, highlighted critical policy gains that continue to improve the business environment, including the accelerated resolution of Non-Tariff Barriers, the harmonisation of 2,040 regional standards, and a 50% reduction in NTB resolution time.
She further noted that border clearance times have reduced by 75%, with most transactions now completed within a day, thanks to One Stop Border Posts, digital linkages among trade agencies and other cross-border facilitation tools. These reforms, she said, are strengthening cross-border trade and boosting visibility for EAC products through e-commerce and digital trade platforms.
A notable highlight of the ceremony was the official handover of the EAC flag from Kenya to the EAC Secretariat, symbolising the transition to the next host of the 26th EAC MSMEs Trade Fair in 2026, which the Secretariat will announce in due course.
For more information, please contact:
Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Department
EAC Secretariat
Arusha, Tanzania
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About the East African Community Secretariat:
The East African Community (EAC) is a regional intergovernmental organisation of eight (8) Partner States, comprising the Republic of Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Republic of Kenya, the Republic of Rwanda, the Federal Republic of Somalia, the Republic of South Sudan, the Republic of Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania, with its headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania. The Federal Republic of Somalia was admitted into the EAC bloc by the Summit of EAC Heads of State on 24th November, 2023 and became a full member on 4th March, 2024.