NCBA in collaboration with the African Guarantee Fund (AGF), the African Development Bank’s Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA) program, Unga Group, and the SME Support Centre, has launched the NCBA–AFAWA WSMEs Acceleration Program Cohort One.
This initiative targets 38 women entrepreneurs in Kenya’s agri-food supply, human food, and animal feeds sectors, aiming to empower women-led small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through access to finance, markets, and skills.
The year-long program, set to conclude in July 2026, will support 80 women entrepreneurs across two cohorts, unlocking USD 5 million in financing and creating at least 300 new jobs.
By combining financial support with mentorship and training, the program seeks to drive sustainable growth for women-owned businesses in Kenya’s vital agri-food industry.
Speaking at the launch, NCBA Group Director of Retail Banking, Dennis Njau, highlighted the program’s significance. “Our partnership with AGF has already facilitated KES 17 billion in loans, but we recognized that entrepreneurs need more than just capital.
Through mentorship, advanced training, and market access, we are enabling these businesses to thrive sustainably,” Njau said. He emphasized NCBA’s customer-centric strategy, which focuses on productivity, credit access, technical assistance, and capacity building to meet the needs of women and youth entrepreneurs.
Earlier this year, NCBA renewed its partnership with AGF, doubling its lending capacity for women and youth-led SMEs from KES 1.5 billion to KES 3 billion. To date, the bank has disbursed nearly KES 17 billion in loans under AGF’s risk-sharing facility, impacting 700 SMEs and supporting over 7,000 jobs, with 2,200 specifically benefiting women.
AGF’s Group Director of Capacity Development, Patrick Lumumba, praised the program’s holistic approach. “Through AFAWA, we’re not just de-risking women-owned businesses but also providing the credit, mentorship, and market opportunities they need to grow,” he said.
Unga Group, the program’s learning partner, will offer participants exposure to industry practices and scaling models. “We aim to inspire these women to scale their businesses with resilience and purpose, strengthening Kenya’s agri-food ecosystem,” said James Nyutu, CEO of Unga Group.
The SME Support Centre will provide mentorship, training, and coaching, combining classroom learning with factory visits and on-site assessments to ensure comprehensive business transformation.