Trade Facilitation in Kenya: Progress, Challenges, and Opportunities in the Context of Regional and Continental Integration

This article critically examines the state of trade facilitation in Kenya, highlighting the interplay
between institutional reforms, infrastructure development, and regional integration
commitments. Anchored within the framework of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA)
and Kenya’s obligations under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the paper
analyzes the progress and challenges of trade facilitation measures including customs
modernization, digitization, and border agency coordination. Special attention is given to the
inclusion of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), women, and youth — stakeholders
often marginalized yet crucial to Kenya’s trade ecosystem. Drawing on policy reviews, trade
performance indices, and case studies from major trade corridors such as the Mombasa Port
and Malaba border post, the article identifies key constraints such as corruption, infrastructural
bottlenecks, and limited access to trade-enabling information. It proposes a set of inclusive,
pragmatic policy recommendations to enhance efficiency, equity, and competitiveness in
Kenya’s trade facilitation landscape.

Keywords: Trade facilitation, Kenya, WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement, AfCFTA, MSMEs,
women, youth, customs, regional integration, infrastructure