Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja on Monday, January 1, 2024, announced the end of the issuance of multiple business licenses.
Terming it as a New Year gift, Sakaja announced the County Government was rolling out a Unified Business Permit (UBP).
In a statement to Nairobi residents and entrepreneurs, Sakaja confirmed that his administration had activated the electronic Unified Business Permit (UBP) regime, as part of an ease-of-doing business reform initiative.
“The UBP combines the business, fire, food, health, and advertising licenses into one and will be available on the Nairobi City County Government's Nairobi Pay Revenue service online portal,” the Governor stated.
The UBP was part of Sakaja’s 2022 campaign manifesto where he promised traders that should he be elected, he would eliminate the issuance of multiple licences.
Sakaja noted that the UBP had been in the development and pilot stages for the better part of 2023.
He explained that the activation of the UBP system, effective January 1, will enhance public service delivery by conveniently allowing Nairobi entrepreneurs to pay for their licenses online and receive an electronic unified business permit.
Sakaja further added that the UBP activation was part of a deliberate effort to improve the ease of doing business parameters in Nairobi.
Additionally, he noted that the issuance of multiple business permits had long been used as a loophole by corrupt county officials to steal public resources.
With the new advanced system, Sakaja envisions growing the county’s Own Source Revenue to Ksh20 billion per year.
In other good news for Nairobi residents, Sakja confirmed that he had formally extended the land rates waiver until January 31, 2023.
Customers can pay for their land rates using the NairobiPay Portal or dial *647#.
