26 Kenyan Businesses That Require Little Capital to Start

Want to make some extra cash in Kenya without spending a lot of money? Want to start a business that will help people, meet a need, or make a difference in your community? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then this post is for you.

I’m going to give you 26 smart business ideas that you can start in 2023 with little money and make a lot of money. These are businesses that don’t need a lot of money to start up but could make a lot of money in the future. And the best part about this post is that there is a business idea for everyone, no matter how much money they have (from Ksh. 200 to Ksh. 1,000, 5,000, 10,000, or 20,000).

In other words, it’s easy to start a business with little money in Kenya. Before we get to the business ideas, though, let me give you some tips.

How to Come Up with a Business Idea in Kenya with Little Money

Where you live, your target market, the competition, demand, supply, and trends are just some of the things that can affect your choice of business idea. But here are some general tips that can help you think of a Kenyan business idea with little money:

• Make a list of issues or holes in the market that your product or service can fix or fill.

As an example, you could help people who need quality, healthy food or transportation that is both cheap and easy to use.

• Find out what your target market wants, needs, struggles with, and expects by doing research on them.

You can see what people are looking for, talking about, and interested in online with tools like Google Trends, Keyword Planner, and Social Media.

You can also ask your possible customers for feedback through polls, interviews, and focus groups.

• Look at your competitors and list their strengths, flaws, chances, and threats.

To figure out who your competitors are, you can use SWOT analysis, Porter’s Five Forces analysis, and PESTEL analysis.

• Find your unique selling point (USP) to set yourself apart from others in the same field.

You can beat your competition by offering better quality, lower prices, faster delivery, more convenience, more value, or more new ideas.

Before you start your business, test your idea and make sure your theories are correct.

You can do this by making a prototype, an MVP, or a taste of your product or service that you can show to a small group of people and ask them what they think.

It helps if you can also make a plan for your business model and value proposition.

And now that you know how to come up with a business idea in Kenya with little money, let’s look at some of the best business ideas you can start in 2024 with little money.

26 Kenyan business ideas that are smart and will make you money with little start-up money

If you want to start a smart, profitable business in Kenya in 2024, here are 26 ideas, broken down by how much money you will need:

How to Start a Business in Kenya with 10,000 KSh

Here are some of the best business ideas in Kenya that you can start with just 10,000 Kenyan shillings:

1. Mobile hairdressing (make Ksh 500 to Ksh 2,000 per day on average)

A mobile hairdressing business lets you do hair for people at their homes, work, or events.

If you know how to do hair, you can start this business to make a good income daily.

Based on the service and the area, you can charge anywhere from Ksh 100 to Ksh 2,500 per client. To make more money, you can also sell hair products and accessories.

A set of scissors, combs, brushes, clips, curlers, dryers, and sprays are some of the essential tools that saloons need. You can get this set for as little as Ksh. 1,000.

2. Sell Beaded jewelry (Make Ksh 500 to Ksh 1,000 per day on average)

A lot of people love to wear and buy beaded jewelry because it’s trendy and in style.

You can use beads, wires, hooks, and clasps to make your own earrings, chains, bracelets, rings, and anklets and start your own beaded jewelry business.

If this is a business you are interested in, then the best places to get people to buy your jewelry are at events, fairs, online, or through word of mouth.

For less than Ksh. 1k, you can get a pack of beads and other things you need to make up to 50 pieces of jewelry.

3. Shoe shining (Make Ksh 300 to Ksh 500 per day on average)

You can start a simple, low-cost business cleaning shoes in Kenya with just 1,000 Kenyan shillings.

People in the business world, schools, and tourists who need their shoes to look clean and shiny can come to your stand to have their shoes cleaned for a few coins.

You can put your shoe shine stand in a good spot, like next to a school, a bus stop, a market, or an office.

A shoe rack, a brush, a cloth, and polish are all things that you can buy in a shoe cleaning kit for less than 1k.

4. Making liquid soap (Make an average profit of Ksh 1,000 per 20 liters)

Liquid soap is used to wash hands, clothes, floors, and even your cars, and the best part is that it’s easy to make and anyone can start the business from home.

Once you have learned how to make liquid soap, you can make samples and sell them to houses, hotels, restaurants, schools, and shops.

Some of the basic things you will need to make liquid soap include water, caustic soda, urea, salt, and perfume.

Soap that is 20 liters in size can be sold for Ksh 1,500, giving you a return of Ksh 1,000.

5. Roasted maize (Ksh 300 to Ksh 500 per day on average)

Roasted maize is a cheap and popular snack that a lot of Kenyans like.

To make money with roasted maize, find a nice spot, roast it, and start your business. This could be along a busy street, at fairs, at events, or near schools.

For Ksh 800, you can buy a bag of maize and roast it on a grill or with fire.

Each cob of corn can be sold for Ksh20, which means you can make Ksh10 from it.

Every day, you can sell up to 50 cobs of corn and make Ksh 500.

How to Start a Business in Kenya with 2,000 KSh

Here are some of the best business ideas in Kenya that you can start with only 2k:

6. Painting homes (average pay: Ksh 1,000 to Ksh 2,000 per home)

Painting houses is a good business that people want to hire you to do.

You can start it in Kenya with only Ksh. 2k, and your customers will be landlords and renters who need to paint their homes for repairs, renovations, or care.

You can charge anywhere from Ksh 1,000 to Ksh 2,000 per house, or more if the paint job is good.

You can get a set of painting tools for less than Ksh. 2k, which includes brushes, rollers, trays, tapes, and ladders.

7. Mitumba Business (Profit Per Bale: Ksh 500 to Ksh 3,500 on Average)

Mitumba is a word for used clothes that come from other countries and are sold in Kenya.

Those already doing the business say that the business is doing very well and that you can start in Kenya with only Ksh. 2,000.

A bag of mitumba clothes can cost Ksh 6,500, but you can sell it for Ksh 10,000 and make Ksh 3,500.

You can get people to buy your mitumba clothes at events, markets, online, or through word of mouth.

You can also focus on a certain type of clothing, like shoes, clothes for kids, clothes for women, clothes for men, or shoes for men.

8. Fruit stands on the street (average daily earnings: Ksh 300 to Ksh 800)

Sell veggies on the street as a healthy and low-cost business that you can start in Kenya with only Ksh. 2,000.

If this is what you want, you can buy and sell fresh fruits like watermelons, oranges, pineapples, and mangoes on the street, at events, at markets, or near schools.

Depending on the city you live in, you could buy a box of vegetables for Ksh 1,000 and sell it for Ksh 1,500, making Ksh 500 for every box you sell.

To make more money, you can also sell fruit salads, juices, and milkshakes.

A cooler, a cart, a knife, and a cutting board are all things you can get for less than Ksh. 2k.

9. Freelancing online (average daily pay: Ksh 1,000 to Ksh 5,000)

With as little as Ksh. 2,000, you can start an online freelancing business that gives you freedom and money.

People from all over the world can hire you online for things like writing, graphic design, web development, data entry, transcription, translation, and virtual help.

Freelancing sites like Upwork, Fiverr, Freelancer, and Guru can help you find work.

Based on the type of work and how hard it is, you can charge anywhere from Ksh 500 to Ksh 5,000 per job.

You will need a PC, a way to connect to the internet, and less than two thousand dollars to set up eBay.

10. Blog (Earn an average of Ksh 10,000 to Ksh 50,000 a month)

Blogging is one of the top creative businesses that you can start in Kenya with only Ksh. 2,000.

You can start your own blog and write about things you’re interested in, like fashion, health, sports, entertainment, or travel.

Some of the ways you can make money from your blog are: by putting ads on it, selling things, providing services, or getting paid posts.

There are free sites like WordPress, Blogger, and Medium that you can use to make your blog.

You can get a domain name, a server plan, and a theme for less than Ksh. 2k.

How to Start a Business in Kenya with 5,000 KSh

Here are some of the best business ideas in Kenya that you can start with only Ksh. 5k:

11. Farming chickens (average profit of Ksh 500 to Ksh 1,000 per chicken)

With only Ksh. 5k, you can start a poultry farming business in Kenya that will make you money and last for a long time.

You can raise chickens to sell their meat or eggs to people, hotels, restaurants, or grocery stores. It costs Ksh 2,500 to buy 50 chicks and another Ksh 2,500 to feed them in the first month.

Each chicken can fetch Ksh 800 when they are grown, which means you’ll make Ksh 300 if you let them free range after the first month.

Plus, you can also decide to sell their eggs, and each kienyeji egg goes for Ksh20.

To get started, buy or make a chicken coop, food, a drinker, and a heater for less than Ksh. 5k.

12. Baking cakes (average profit of Ksh 1,000 to Ksh 2,000 per cake)

In Kenya, you can start a cake-making business with only Ksh. 5k and make a tasty and profitable business out of it.

If it helps, try to focus on selling cakes for birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, or graduations because Kenyan customers, friends, or family prefer those items.

Based on the size and style of the cake, you can charge Ksh 1,500 to Ksh 3,000 per one.

To get started, you will need a cake pan, a spatula, a knife, and items like flour, sugar, eggs, butter, and milk, which you can buy for less than Ksh. 5k.

You will also need a baking oven.

13. Car Wash (Major Earning: Ksh 500 to Ksh 1,000 Per Car)

You can start a car wash business with only Ksh. 5k in Kenya. It’s easy to get started, and it is an on-demand business.

People who own cars, drive cars or run taxis and want their cars to look clean and shiny can use your car wash and pay you according to your rates.

Different types of cars can cost different amounts, anywhere from Ksh. 200 to 500 shillings for every service.

To get started, get a bucket, a sponge, a brush, soap, and a towel for less than Kss. 5k. You will also need a water hose.

14. Popcorn business (average daily profit of Ksh 500 to Ksh 1,000)

A lot of Kenyans love to snack on popcorn because it’s cheap and tasty.

You can sell popcorn on the street, at fairs, at events, or near schools if you want to start your own business.

It costs Ksh 4,000 to buy a popcorn machine and Ksh 500 to buy popcorn kernels.

Each bag of popcorn can fetch Ksh20, which means you can make Ksh15. Every day, you can sell up to 100 packs of popcorn and make Ksh 1,500.

15. Mobile Money Transfer (Profit of Ksh 500 to Ksh 1,000 per day on average)

Mobile money transfer is an easy and important way for many Kenyans to send and receive money.

Starting a mobile money transfer business lets you help people who need to use platforms like M-Pesa, Airtel Money, or T-Kash to receive, withdraw, or send money.

You can charge anywhere from 10 to 50 shillings per transaction, based on the size of the transaction and the site.

How to Start a Business in Kenya with 10,000 KSh

Here are some of the best business ideas in Kenya that you can start with Ksh. 10,000:

16. Laundry Business (Making an Average of Ksh 1,000 to Ksh 2,000 Per Day)

The laundry business is one of the small businesses you can start with 10,000 shillings in Kenya.

It’s easy to do, and in most areas of major cities, it is an on-demand business.

To make more money, you can wash, dry, iron, and fold clothes for your customers.

The best part is that each service is charged differently, and there are different prices for different types of clothes, but the general range is Ksh 100 to Ksh 200 per kg.

To get started, you will need a washer, dryer, iron, board, basket, and soap. All of these things can be bought for less than Ksh 10k.

17. Photography Business (Making an Average of Ksh 2,000 to Ksh 5,000 a Day)

This is another creative business that anyone can start to make money in 2024.

And if you are in Kenya, you can start this business with Ksh. 10,000 only.

You will be hired to capture events and other important stuff that people want to document or keep as memories.

Based on the type of session and how long it lasts, you can charge anywhere from Ksh 500 to Ksh 5,000 per session.

18. Catering business (average profit of Ksh 5,000 to Ksh 10,000 per event)

If so far you haven’t found a business that suits you on this list, you can consider starting a catering business in Kenya with as little as 10,000 Kenya shillings.

People who need to feed their guests at events like weddings, parties, meetings, and conferences can hire you for food.

Price range for each person is Ksh 500 to Ksh 1,000, based on the food and the number of people.

19. Business that delivers groceries (makes an average of Ksh 1,000 to Ksh 2,000 per day)

Running a grocery delivery service is another useful and easy business that you can start in Kenya with Ksh. 10,000 or less.

Your target market will be people who need to buy fresh foods from the market or supermarket, like fruits, veggies, eggs, milk, and bread, among other things, and don’t have time to go to the supermarkets.

Based on how far you have to go and how much the groceries weigh, you can charge Ksh 100 to Ksh 200 per delivery.

All you will need to get started is a delivery app, a bike, and a box.

20. Tutoring Business (Making an Average of Ksh 1,000 to Ksh 2,000 an Hour)

If you live in Kenya and have 10,000 Kenyan shillings, you can start a tutoring business that gives you freedom and makes you money.

Your business will target kids who need to do better in school, study for tests, or learn new skills.

To make good profits, you can price your services from Ksh 500 to Ksh 1,000 an hour, based on the course and the student’s level.

Get a laptop, an internet connection, a webcam, a microphone, and a tutoring site like Udemy, Skype, or Zoom to get started.

Business Ideas in Kenya that you can start with 20,000 Kenyan Shillings

Here are some of the best business ideas in Kenya that you can start with 20,000 naira:

21. The salon business (makes an average of Ksh 2,000 to Ksh 5,000 per day).

Anyone in Kenya with 20,000 shillings can start their own salon business and succeed.

Some of the services you can offer in a salon include: hair styling, cutting, coloring, manicures, pedicures, facials, and massages.

Based on the service and how well it’s done, you can charge anywhere from Ksh 500 to Ksh 2,000 per service.

You will need a chair, a mirror, a table, a dryer, a steamer, a clipper, scissors, a comb, a brush, nail paint, cream, and lotion to get started.

You can get all of these things for less than 20k.

22. Printing business (making between Ksh 2,000 and Ksh 5,000 per day on average)

You can start a printing business with 20,000 shillings in Kenya.

People want to purchase prints because it is simple to do. Customers can come to you if they need to print pictures, documents, flyers, posters, banners, or business cards.

Different sizes and quality of prints can cost anywhere from 10 to 100 shillings per page. You can get a computer, a printer, a scanner, a copier, paper, ink, and get started.

23. Making clothes for a living (average profit of Ksh 2,000 to Ksh 5,000 per day)

Another business you can start in Kenya with 20,000 shillings is a clothing business. It’s artistic and pays well.

The best part is that many people can hire you to sew their dresses, shirts, pants, skirts, or suits when they need to make, change, or fix them. Depending on the type of clothing and how hard the work is, you can charge Ksh 500 to Ksh 2,000 per item.

To get started, get a sewing machine, a needle, thread, scissors, chalk, a zipper, a button, and fabric.

You can get all these things in Nairobi for less than 20K.

24. Cyber Cafe Business (Making an Average of Ksh 2,000 to Ksh 5,000 a Day)

A cyber cafe is another easy business to start that needs at least 20,000 shillings to get going. This is a good business for people who need cash flow in areas where the internet is not yet available.

As it goes, your target will be people who need to connect to the internet, send emails, chat online, play games, or make purchases online.

25. Mobile Phone Repair Business (Making an Average of Ksh 2,000 to Ksh 5,000 a Day)

And if you are handy and have phone repair skills, you can start a mobile phone service business in Kenya with 20,000 shillings.

Some of the services you could provide in your business include changing the screen, battery, charging port, speaker, or software.

Based on the type of phone and how bad the damage is, you can charge Ksh 500 to Ksh 2,000 per phone.

You will need a cell phone repair kit that includes: a screwdriver, tweezers, spudger, suction cup, pry tool, and magnifier to get started

26. Business for a snack bar (average profit of Ksh 2,000 to Ksh 5,000 per day)

In Kenya, you can start a snack bar for as little as 20,000 Shillings. As profitable business ideas in Kenya go, this is another profitable business.

Some of the snacks you can sell in your business are samosas, bhajias, mandazis, chapatis, sausages, burgers, fries, and kebabs.

Conclusion

I hope these Kenyan business ideas with little money have helped and inspired you. Feel free to ask me anything if you have any thoughts or questions. I’m willing to help you at any time. 😊