Women Play a Key Role in Kenya's Growing Business Sector: Mastercard Study

• Kenyan women drive business growth as entrepreneurial landscape shifts, Mastercard research finds
• Women continue to navigate challenges, unlock new opportunities, and fuel financial independence at an unprecedented scale
• Baby Boomers (93%) and Gen X women (96%) are driving the transformation towards financial success and economic empowerment

A Mastercard study reveals that nearly 93% of women in Kenya are keen on establishing their own business. With a dynamic shift in the country’s business landscape, women are emerging as key drivers of economic progress.  Marking International Women’s Day 2025 under the theme Accelerate Action, they continue to navigate challenges, unlock new opportunities, and fuel financial independence at an unprecedented scale.

The study reveals that 93% of women in Kenya are looking establish or run their own businesses- well above the 51% regional in Eastern Europe, The Middle East and Africa (EEMEA). Baby Boomers (93%) and Gen X women (96%) are driving this transformation, highlighting their dedication to financial success and economic empowerment.

Kenya women are rapidly embracing entrepreneurship with 45% pursuing their dreams and 41% seeking better work-life balance. With 45% chase their aspirations and 41% seek flexibility, financial goals remain crucial-77% aim for higher income, 68% for independence, and 49% for future security. Research indicates that 65% of female business owners actively integrate AI -nearly twice the rate of their male counterparts. AI adoption is proving to be beneficial with improvements in efficiency, cost reduction and time management.

Shehryar Ali, Senior Vice President and Country Manager for East Africa and Indian Ocean Islands at Mastercard, underscored the critical role of empowering women entrepreneurs in Kenya’s evolving business environment.

“Kenyan women entrepreneurs are driving economic change with their innovation, resilience, and ambition. To accelerate their success, we must address key challenges such as access to finance, technology, and business skills. At Mastercard, we are committed to equipping women entrepreneurs with the resources, networks, and capital they need to thrive in an increasingly digital economy,” Shehryar said.

Despite their growing presence in entrepreneurship, Kenyan women face notable barriers to success. Access to financing remains one of the top challenges, with 82% struggling to raise capital for their start-ups. Among the ones who have successfully launched a venture, 63% report that securing initial funding was their greatest challenges. Confidence also impacts their growth, as 41% feel unprepared to create a business plan.