Nairobi's New Business Permit Bill Raises Fees for Local Traders

The Nairobi County Assembly is tracking the Single Business Permit Amendment Bill, which would reorganise fee structures for commercial licences issued across the county's 17 sub-counties and apply new rates to retail, service and transport businesses.

County budget documents for the 2025/26 financial year list single business permits as a key own-source revenue stream, and the bill has been introduced ahead of the next appropriation cycle to update those collections.

Consequences for daily purchases and employment

Traders operating kiosks in estates such as Kawangware and South C would fall into revised permit categories under the bill, which sets out higher annual charges for premises under 20 square metres that sell food and household items. Residents who buy vegetables, milk and bread from these outlets could face price adjustments if operators pass on the increased costs. Matatu operators based at stages in Gikomba and Muthurwa would also see their route permits reclassified, potentially altering the number of vehicles that remain licensed for daily commuter runs.

County revenue records show single business permits contributed 8.5 billion Kenyan shillings in the 2024/25 financial year. The legislation states that the new schedule would apply from January 2027 and would require all existing permit holders to reapply under the updated brackets.

Further stages before enactment

The bill remains at the committee stage, where members of the assembly's finance and planning committee are scheduled to receive written submissions from ratepayers until 20 July. Analysts at the Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis have noted that similar fee revisions in past years required six months of administrative preparation before new permits could be issued.

Once passed, the County Executive for Finance would publish implementing regulations that set out payment deadlines and enforcement procedures at sub-county offices. Residents and business owners can review the current draft text on the county assembly website and submit comments through the clerk's office before the next reading.