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Originally published by The Standard BusinessMay 12, 2026
5h ago
From aid to enterprise: Refugee businesses expand East Africa's economy
A quiet economic shift is taking place inside refugee camps and host communities that is changing how governments, investors and development organisations view displaced populations...
✨ Key Highlights
Refugee-owned businesses in East Africa are increasingly contributing to local economies, shifting the focus from traditional aid to enterprise and attracting new investment.
- Social impact organisation Inkomoko, which supports refugee and host community entrepreneurs, was named the fifth fastest-growing company in Africa by the Financial Times, having invested over $37.5 million since 2012.
- Kenya hosts over 835,000 refugees and is implementing the Shirika Plan to integrate them into local economies and promote self-reliance.
- Refugee businesses in camps like Kakuma and Dadaab, as well as urban centres, are creating jobs and supporting trade, though challenges with access to finance and legal restrictions persist.
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