TechnoServe Launches “Smart Duka 5.0” Initiative to Strengthen the Micro-Retail Sector in Kenya and Ethiopia
The new phase will bring the Smart Duka program to Ethiopia for the first time and support the National Duka Owners organization in Kenya.
Nairobi, Kenya (October 30, 2025) – TechnoServe, in collaboration with the elea Foundation, today announced the launch of the Smart Duka 5.0 Initiative, which aims to strengthen the profitability and sustainability of the micro-retail sector in Kenya and Ethiopia. The new phase builds on nearly a decade of success in Kenya and now marks the strategic entry into Ethiopia under the name Smart Souks.
In Kenya, the initiative will support the National Duka Owners Umbrella Organization (NDO) to transition into a financially self-sustaining entity that can drive innovation and growth for its members. It will also establish a centralized knowledge hub in Kenya to capture and adapt the program’s proven tools, training, and operational models for successful replication in Ethiopia and–in the future– additional countries.
“The success of the Smart Duka program in Kenya is the result of our strong partnership with the elea Foundation for Ethics in Globalization. By equipping duka owners with vital business and management skills, we have directly increased the profitability and operational resilience of thousands of micro-retail enterprises in the country,” said Kris Ansin, TechnoServe Kenya Country Director.
The Smart Duka program will expand in Ethiopia through its sister program called Smart Souks, leveraging the lessons learned and knowledge gained in Kenya and adapting them to the Ethiopian context to support the micro-retail sector in that country.
“The launch of Smart Souks in Ethiopia represents more than a program–it is an investment in the entrepreneurial spirit that drives our local economies. By adapting the proven Smart Duka model to Ethiopia’s unique context, we aim to equip micro-retailors with the tools and management skills they need to thrive. This initiative will not only strengthen businesses today but also build the foundation for a more resilient, innovative, and inclusive retail sector that can support Ethiopia’s broader economic transformation,” said Makeda T Tadesse, TechnoServe Ethiopia Country Director.
In the previous phases, Smart Duka had impacted over 50,000 micro-retailers in Kenya, mobilized over $5 million in capital, and fostered partnerships with more than 10 financial institutions and 50 manufacturers. The program has also established 58 formalized business groups housed in 10 regional associations across Nairobi, Kiambu, Kisumu, and the Coastal regions. Across three years, the business groups have aggregated over $1 million in goods and secured valuable quantity discounts for their members, enhancing efficiency in the supply chain network.
A key objective of Smart Duka 5.0 will be to ensure NDO generates 60% of its operational costs through diverse sources by the end of the two-year program. Equally important will be to increase members’ revenues and access to finance and improve their business practices and operations.
“elea is committed to supporting innovative models like Smart Dukas that sustainably transform last-mile access to essential products, while improving the livelihoods of both duka owners and providing better access to products for consumers. As Smart Dukas enters its next phase, transitioning the National Duka Organization into an impact enterprise, we believe this will mark a pivotal step in our last-mile retail thesis: that the sustainable aggregation of informal retailers into a unified network enables them, over time, to interact independently and effectively with formal retail players and other stakeholders,” said Ija Ogwang, elea Regional Director.
Over the past nine years, the elea Foundation has played a pivotal role in advancing Kenya’s micro-retail sector through catalytic funding that fostered innovative and inclusive market and financial models. This support has strengthened business operations, enhanced duka capacity, and led to the establishment of the National Duka Owners Organization (NDO) to drive sustainable system change. It has also promoted stronger partnerships and collaboration with corporate and ecosystem actors, resulting in shared value approaches and co-created solutions that continue to strengthen the sector’s growth and formalization.
The launch will be followed by a series of business-to-business events that will bring together manufacturers and micro-retailers to drive supply chain efficiency at the base of the pyramid and a national wide registration drive that will register over 20,000 duka owners across the country.
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About Technoserve
Founded in 1968, TechnoServe is a leader in harnessing the power of the private sector to help people lift themselves out of poverty for good. A non-profit organization working in around 35 countries, we work with people to build a better future through regenerative farms, businesses, and markets that increase incomes. Our vision is a sustainable world where all people in low-income communities have the opportunity to prosper.
More information at: Twitter @TechnoServe | Facebook @TechnoServe | LinkedIn @TechnoServe
About elea Foundation
elea Foundation for Ethics in Globalization is an impact investor dedicated to fighting absolute poverty with entrepreneurial means, leveraging the opportunities of globalization. Founded in 2006 and based in Zurich, Switzerland, elea Foundation focuses on creating positive, lasting impacts on a global scale.
About the National Dukas Owners Umbrella Organization
The National Duka-owners Umbrella Organization was established through a partnership between TechnoServe, elea Foundation, and the Government of Kenya to build a collaborative, sustainable, and thriving micro-retail sector.
Media contact:
- Elsie Ngina
- Email: enjoki@tns.org
