11 Businesses You Can Start in Kenya With KSh 20,000

Look, I’m going to be straight with you. Everyone talks about starting a business like you need millions in the bank.

That’s garbage.

The truth?

Some of the most profitable small businesses in Kenya started with less than what you spend on rent. I’ve seen people build real wealth from 20,000 shillings.

Not theory. Real money. Real businesses. Real results.

The problem isn’t capital. It’s knowing where to put it.

You don’t need the Hustler Fund.

You don’t need investors. You need a clear plan, the right business model, and the guts to execute.

That’s what this guide is about.

11 proven businesses you can start with KSh 20,000 or less that are working right now in Kenya in 2026.

TL;DR: Businesses You Can Start in Kenya With KSh 20,000

If you’ve got KSh 20,000 and need to start making money now, here’s what works: Mitumba business (buy at Gikomba for 5k-15k, flip on social media for 100-200% profit), smokie-mayai stand (3k setup, 500-1500 daily profit), phone accessories (stock 10-15k, 50-100% markup), fruit salad business (8k startup, 500-1000 daily), liquid soap making (5k for materials, sell to salons and households), mobile money agency (15k float, earn commissions), social media management (zero capital, charge 5k-15k monthly), digital products on Canva (bundles only, sell templates for 50-200), bucket/sack gardening (3k setup, sell vegetables weekly), boda boda partnership (manage riders, split profits), and online reselling (buy wholesale, sell on Facebook Marketplace and Jumia).

Bottom line: Start where you are. Scale with profits. Your first KSh 20,000 can become KSh 200,000 if you move fast and stay consistent.

1. Mitumba Business

This is the business that built Kenya’s informal economy.

Why? Because the math works every single time.

Capital Breakdown:

• Ksh 5,000 to 15,000 for initial stock (hand-picked items at Gikomba or Toi Market)
• Ksh 2,000 for display materials (hangers, bags, portable rack)
• Ksh 1,000 for transport and miscellaneous

The Play

Visit Gikomba between 5 AM and 7 AM when suppliers open fresh bales. That’s when you get the good stuff before everyone else picks through it. Buy items you can sell for double or triple. Jeans, branded shirts, dresses, shoes. Focus on quality pieces that look almost new.

Sell on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook Marketplace, or WhatsApp Business. Post clear photos, use good lighting, engage with comments.

You can also set up a small stall at your estate or near colleges. The mitumba business in Kenya makes up 60% of the clothing sector because Kenyans want style without breaking the bank.

Expected Returns

Buy an item at Ksh 100, sell at Ksh 200-300.

That’s 100-200% profit.

If you move 20 items per week at an average profit of Ksh 150 each, you’re looking at Ksh 12,000 monthly. Some sellers on TikTok are doing Ksh 50,000+ by posting daily and building trust.

Time to Profit: Week one if you hustle. Month one if you’re testing the waters.

Pro Tip: Women’s clothing moves faster. Even male sellers are flipping women’s wear because the demand is higher. Also, Kenya’s youth love vintage and unique pieces, so curate, don’t just dump stock.

2. Smokie-Mayai Stand

Street food never dies.

Ever.

Kenyans eat, workers need lunch, students need snacks. If you can cook smokies and boil eggs, you can print money.

Capital Breakdown:

• Ksh 2,000 for initial stock (smokies, eggs, bread, onions, tomatoes)
• Ksh 500 for charcoal jiko or portable gas burner
• Ksh 1,000 for utensils, plates, and sauce containers
• Ksh 500 for location setup (table, signage)

The Play

Set up near bus stops, construction sites, colleges, or busy estates. Your competitive advantage? Cleanliness and taste. Add unique sauce combinations (chili-garlic mayo, kachumbari with a twist). Be consistent with your hours. People come back to reliability.

Target peak times: breakfast (7-9 AM) and lunch (12-2 PM). A smokie-mayai sells for Ksh 50-80. Your cost per unit is about Ksh 25-30. Sell 50 units daily and you’re making Ksh 1,000-2,500 profit per day. That’s Ksh 30,000-75,000 monthly.

Expected Returns

Daily profit of Ksh 500 to 1,500, scaling up as you build a customer base. Some small food stands in Nairobi CBD clear Ksh 3,000 daily during busy periods.

Time to Profit: Day one. Literally. You can recoup your capital in the first week.

Pro Tip: Offer combos. Smokie-mayai plus juice for Ksh 120. People love deals. Also, keep your stand CLEAN. Dirty setups kill repeat business faster than anything else.

3. Phone Accessories (Everyone Has a Phone, duh)

Kenya has over 60 million mobile phone subscriptions. That’s more phones than people. Every single one needs a charger, earphones, screen protector, or phone case eventually.

Capital Breakdown:

• Ksh 10,000 to 15,000 for stock (chargers, earphones, cases, screen protectors, phone holders)
• Ksh 2,000 for a small display box or portable table
• Ksh 1,000 for packaging and branding

The Play

Buy wholesale from Luthuli Avenue in Nairobi or Moi Avenue in Mombasa. Focus on high-turnover items like Type-C chargers, iPhone cables, and Bluetooth earphones. Sell at your workplace, estate, or online via Facebook groups and Instagram.

Markup is 50-100%. A charger you buy at Ksh 150 sells for Ksh 300. Earphones bought at Ksh 200 go for Ksh 400-500. Move 10-15 items daily and you’re making Ksh 1,500-3,000 profit.

Expected Returns

Ksh 20,000 to 40,000 monthly profit if you’re consistent. Some sellers on Facebook Marketplace in Nairobi are clearing Ksh 100,000+ by targeting office workers and students.

Time to Profit: Week one. Accessories sell fast because they’re impulse buys and necessities rolled into one.

Pro Tip: Offer delivery within your area via boda boda. M-Pesa makes payment seamless. Also, test your products before selling them. One bad charger kills your reputation.

4. Fruit Salad & Fresh Juice

The healthy eating wave hit Kenya and it’s not slowing down. Office workers, gym-goers, and health-conscious people will pay premium prices for fresh, clean food.

Capital Breakdown:

• Ksh 5,000 for fruit stock (watermelon, pineapple, bananas, passion fruit, oranges)
• Ksh 1,500 for containers, chopping board, and sharp knives
• Ksh 1,000 for portable cooler box and ice
• Ksh 500 for branding (simple signage)

The Play

Set up near gyms, hospitals, offices, or busy town centers. Offer fresh fruit salad in clear cups (Ksh 100-150) and fresh juice (Ksh 80-120). Your cost per cup of fruit salad is about Ksh 50-60. Juice costs around Ksh 30-40 to make.

Cleanliness is EVERYTHING. Wear gloves. Use clean water. Package attractively. Deliver to offices during lunch hour for bulk orders.

Expected Returns

Sell 30 cups daily at an average profit of Ksh 50 per cup. That’s Ksh 1,500 daily or Ksh 45,000 monthly. During hot weather, you’ll double this.

Time to Profit: Day one. Fresh food sells immediately if it looks good and tastes good.

Pro Tip: Add unique touches like chia seeds, honey drizzle, or mint leaves. Charge Ksh 20-30 extra for “premium” versions. People pay for perceived value.

5. Liquid Soap Making

Every home, salon, restaurant, and school needs soap. That’s a never-ending market. Making your own liquid soap and detergent is one of the most profitable small businesses in Kenya with insane margins.

Capital Breakdown:

• Ksh 3,000 for raw materials (texapon, sulphonic acid, SLS, caustic soda, perfume, color)
• Ksh 2,000 for containers (5L and 10L jerry cans)
• Ksh 1,000 for mixing buckets and measuring tools

The Play

Learn the formula (YouTube has hundreds of free tutorials). Make your first batch. Package in 5L and 10L containers. Sell to salons, restaurants, schools, and households in your estate.

Your cost to make 10L of liquid soap is about Ksh 150-200. You sell it for Ksh 500-700. That’s 200-300% profit. Detergent has similar margins.

Target bulk buyers. One salon can buy 20L monthly. One restaurant needs 40L+. Build relationships, offer delivery, and you’re golden.

Expected Returns

Produce and sell 100L monthly. That’s Ksh 40,000-50,000 in profit. Some soap makers in Nairobi are doing Ksh 150,000+ monthly by supplying hostels and institutions.

Time to Profit: Week two. You need time to mix, package, and find your first customers. After that, it’s repeat business.

Pro Tip: Offer free samples in small bottles. Let people test before they buy. Once they try your product and it works, they’ll order in bulk.

6. Mobile Money Agent (M-Pesa)

M-Pesa is Kenya’s bloodline. Over 30 million active users. Every transaction, you earn. It’s not sexy, but it’s steady money.

Capital Breakdown:

• Ksh 15,000 to 20,000 for float (working capital)
• Ksh 2,000 for signage and branding
• Ksh 500 for registration and SIM cards

The Play

Register as an M-Pesa agent with Safaricom. Set up in a busy location with high foot traffic (near markets, bus stops, residential estates). Offer withdrawals, deposits, and bill payments.

You earn commissions on every transaction. Withdrawals earn you about 0.5-1% commission. Process Ksh 200,000 daily and you’re making Ksh 1,000-2,000 in commissions alone. Add Airtel Money and you double your customer base.

Expected Returns

Ksh 30,000 to 60,000 monthly from commissions alone. Some agents in Nairobi CBD process millions and clear Ksh 200,000+ monthly.

Time to Profit: Week one once you’re registered and operational. The boda boda industry alone will keep you busy with payments.

Pro Tip: Offer extra services like phone charging (Ksh 20) and airtime top-ups. These micro-services add up and bring customers through your door.

7. Social Media Management

You’re on your phone anyway.

Why not get paid for it? Kenyan businesses need social media presence but don’t have time to manage it. That’s where you come in.

Capital Breakdown:

• Ksh 0 for skills (learn free on YouTube)
• Ksh 500 for monthly internet bundles
• Optional: Ksh 1,000 for Canva Pro subscription

The Play

Target local businesses like salons, boutiques, barbershops, small restaurants, and consultants. Offer to manage their Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok for Ksh 5,000 to 15,000 monthly. Post daily, engage with followers, run basic ads, and track results.

Start with 3-5 clients. That’s Ksh 15,000-75,000 monthly for work you can do from your phone in 2-3 hours daily.

Expected Returns

Ksh 15,000 to 50,000 monthly once you have 3-5 clients. Some freelance social media managers in Nairobi are clearing Ksh 100,000+ by managing 10+ accounts.

Time to Profit: Month one. You need time to land your first clients and prove results.

Pro Tip: Offer free trials. Manage someone’s account for two weeks to show them what you can do. Once they see the engagement and inquiries, they’ll pay. Also, use TikTok. It’s blowing up in Kenya right now and businesses need help riding that wave.

8. Digital Products (Canva Templates): Sell Once, Earn Forever

This is the ultimate side hustle you can start with just 20K in Kenya.

Create once, sell forever. No inventory. No shipping. Pure profit.

Capital Breakdown:

• Ksh 500 for internet bundles (Canva free version works fine)
• Ksh 0 if you already have internet access

The Play

Design CV templates, business card templates, Instagram post templates, flyer designs, or birthday invitation cards on Canva. Sell them on WhatsApp Status, Instagram, Facebook groups, or even TikTok for Ksh 50-200 each.

Target job seekers (CV templates), small business owners (branding templates), and event planners (invitation designs). One template can sell 100+ times. That’s Ksh 5,000-20,000 from one design.

Expected Returns: Ksh 10,000 to 30,000 monthly selling digital templates. Some creators are doing Ksh 100,000+ by building a catalog of 50-100 templates and automating delivery.

Time to Profit: Week one. Once your first template is done, you can start selling immediately.

Pro Tip: Bundle your templates. Offer 10 CV templates for Ksh 500 instead of one for Ksh 100. People love bundles and you make more per transaction.

9. Bucket/Sack Gardening (Urban Farming)

Space is expensive. Seeds are cheap. Kenyans need vegetables. Do the math.

Capital Breakdown:

• Ksh 1,000 for buckets or gunny sacks
• Ksh 500 for soil and manure
• Ksh 500 for seeds (sukuma wiki, spinach, tomatoes, onions)
• Ksh 1,000 for watering can and basic tools

The Play

Start in your backyard, balcony, or rooftop. Grow fast-moving vegetables like sukuma wiki, spinach, and coriander. These mature in 3-6 weeks. Harvest and sell to neighbors, local greengrocers, or via WhatsApp groups in your estate.

One bucket yields 5-10 bunches of sukuma. Sell each bunch at Ksh 20-30. That’s Ksh 100-300 per bucket. With 10 buckets, you’re making Ksh 1,000-3,000 every harvest cycle (monthly).

Expected Returns: Ksh 3,000 to 10,000 monthly from small-scale bucket farming. Some urban farmers in Nairobi are supplying restaurants and clearing Ksh 30,000+ monthly.

Time to Profit: 4-6 weeks for your first harvest. After that, it’s continuous income.

Pro Tip: Focus on organic farming. Charge premium prices (Ksh 40-50 per bunch) to health-conscious buyers. Also, sell seedlings. A seedling of tomato or capsicum sells for Ksh 30-50. Raise 200 seedlings and you’re making Ksh 6,000-10,000 without waiting for harvest.

10. Boda Boda Partnership (Twist: Manage, Don’t Ride)

The boda boda industry employs over 1 million Kenyans. You don’t need to own a bike or ride one. You just need to manage the process.

Capital Breakdown:

• Ksh 0 if you’re partnering with existing riders
• Ksh 5,000 for a logbook to track daily earnings (optional)
• Ksh 2,000 for airtime and M-Pesa float

The Play

Partner with 2-3 boda riders in your area. Negotiate a deal where they give you a daily cut (Ksh 200-300) for managing bookings, payments via M-Pesa, and customer relationships. You become the dispatcher.

Build a WhatsApp group with regular customers. When someone needs a ride, you assign it to one of your riders. You earn a commission on every trip without touching a bike.

Expected Returns

Manage 3 riders doing 10 trips each daily at Ksh 20 commission per trip. That’s Ksh 600 daily or Ksh 18,000 monthly. Scale to 5 riders and you’re at Ksh 30,000+.

Time to Profit: Week one once partnerships are set up.

Pro Tip: Offer safety and reliability. Parents hiring bodas for school runs pay premium for trusted riders. Build that reputation and charge Ksh 50-100 more per trip.

11. Online Reselling (Buy Low, Sell High (The Classic))

Jumia, Facebook Marketplace, Instagram. These platforms are goldmines if you know how to play them.

Capital Breakdown:

• Ksh 10,000 to 15,000 for initial stock (buy wholesale or on sale)
• Ksh 2,000 for packaging materials
• Ksh 1,000 for delivery costs (you can charge customers later)

The Play

Find products on sale or buy wholesale. Phones cases, kitchen gadgets, beauty products, baby items, electronics. List them on Jumia, Facebook Marketplace, or Instagram at a markup. When someone orders, arrange delivery via courier (charge customer) or local boda.

Your margin is 30-50% on most items. Buy a phone case at Ksh 150, sell at Ksh 250. Move 20 items weekly and you’re making Ksh 2,000 in profit.

Expected Returns

Ksh 15,000 to 40,000 monthly depending on product selection and consistency. Some online resellers are clearing Ksh 150,000+ by focusing on trending products and paid ads.

Time to Profit: Week one to two. You need time to list products and make your first sales.

Pro Tip: Use good photos. Terrible photos kill sales faster than anything else. Also, respond fast. The first seller to reply wins the sale on Facebook Marketplace.

The Hard Truth About Starting Small

Here’s what nobody tells you: starting a KSh 20,000 business in Kenya won’t make you a millionaire overnight. It won’t. But it will give you something more valuable, cash flow and proof of concept.

Your first 20k teaches you:

• What sells and what doesn’t
• How to talk to customers
• How to manage money
• How to scale

Most people fail because they wait for “enough” capital. There’s never enough. The businesses listed here aren’t get-rich-quick schemes.

They’re biashara za mtaji mdogo that work if YOU work. Some will make you Ksh 10,000 monthly.

Others will make you Ksh 50,000+. But they all start the same way: with action.

You can keep waiting for the “perfect” business idea or the “right” amount of money. Or you can start with what you have right now.

The choice is simple.

Your Next Steps (Do This Today)

1. Pick one business from this list. Not three. One. Focus breeds success.
2. Spend two hours researching. Visit the market. Check prices. Talk to one person already doing it.
3. Write down your capital breakdown. Ksh 20,000 is your budget. Don’t exceed it. Learn to work with constraints.
4. Start this weekend. Not next month. Not when you “feel ready.” This weekend. Buy your stock. Post your first product. Make your first sale.
5. Track everything. How much you spend. How much you make. What sells. What doesn’t. Data beats emotions.
6. Reinvest profits. Don’t blow your first earnings. Put them back into the business. Scale with profits, not more loans.

The Hustler Fund might give you KSh 1,000. Your uncle might lend you KSh 5,000. But your KSh 20,000? That’s enough to change your financial situation if you stop overthinking and start executing.

Kenya has over 1.5 million registered MSMEs. Most started with less than KSh 50,000. Some are now worth millions. The difference between them and everyone else? They started.

Stop waiting. Start building. Your biashara ndogo ndogo today becomes your empire tomorrow.

But only if you begin.

Now go make money.

Read also:

• 15 Best Businesses You Can Start in Kenya With Only KSh 10K
• Only 50k? Here Are the Best Small Businesses to Start in Kenya