Nairobi County Introduces The New Unified Business Permit

Nairobi County has announced the introduction of the New Unified Business permit, which consolidates 5 permits that you need to start and operate a business in the County into one permit.

Starting November 1st 2016, businesses will be able to get one permit that consolidates the following:

1. The single business permit
2. Fire clearance certificate
3. Advertising signage
4. Health certificate
5. Food hygiene

In addition to this, business people will no longer need to make business applications at City Hall – they will be able to apply online, through the ejijipay electronic system. The announcement in an advert on Business Daily on the 31st of October directed business people to log in on www.epayments.go.ke to apply, pay and print the certificates. I was not able to log in to test the system,it seemed it was not yet online.

I have in the past complained about the cost and bureaucracy around starting a business in the county, and this is a welcome move. I hope that the new license will also be cheaper than the individual licenses, because by reducing the bureaucracy, the council saves costs that should be passed on to the businesses.