Government gives foreign traders 90 days to regularise businesses before crackdown

Kenyan authorities have granted foreign nationals involved in small-scale trade and informal businesses in the country a 90-day window to make their immigration status and business operations compliant with local laws before the government enforces existing regulations strictly. State House spokesperson Hussein Mohamed disclosed that the regularisation initiative arose from Kenyan traders' concerns regarding the growing presence of foreign nationals in micro and small enterprises, which affect Kenyans who rely on these enterprises for their livelihoods.

President William Ruto assured the government's commitment to safeguard and expand economic opportunities for Kenyan citizens, especially in micro and small-enterprise sectors, while protecting the rights of foreign nationals legally residing, working, investing, or doing business in Kenya. To facilitate this, the government will conduct an orderly regularisation exercise over the next 90 days, collaborating with the embassies of the affected foreign nationals to help them regularise their immigration status and business operations in line with Kenyan law.

Following the 90-day period, the government will commence strict enforcement of immigration, work-permit, registration, and licensing requirements, all carried out in accordance with the law and due process. The government also recently directed the expansion of the Local Content Bill, 2025 (National Assembly Bill No. 45 of 2025) to create a legal framework governing participation in small-scale trade and enterprise.