Top 14 Lucrative Small Business Opportunities You Can Start In Kisumu

By Getrude Mathayo / Published May 30, 2023 | 12:34 pm

If there is a town where any business can thrive, then Kisumu is one. It doesn’t matter what kind of business you start in the town as long as you know the taste of the people in the city. The best business, however, is one that can generate more income with little operating cost.

Kisumu is the third largest city in Kenya after Nairobi and Mombasa. It has a population of close to half a million. Lake Victoria is one of the tourist attraction centers and is among the highest producers of fish in Kenya. Kisumu is also one of the best towns in Kenya in terms of business growth because of the low cost of operating any kind of venture.

The town has so many unexploited business opportunities which the residents are unable to grab. If you are an entrepreneur, this is the town to consider opening your dream business.

When starting any business, location, capital, profitability, and security are important. Kisumu is one place where your business can grow at an exponential rate because the residents here don’t discriminate when buying products.

Mitumba business

Selling second-hand clothes is a very good opportunity for anyone who wants to venture into business with little capital. Ideally, mitumba bales in Kisumu go for as little as 6,500 shillings and if you get a quality bale for this price, you can double or even triple your capital in a day.

Beauty Products

Starting a small business selling beauty products can be profitable, especially for those interested in the beauty industry. Setting up a shop near busy streets, markets, or beauty salons is ideal. The target market is women who want to look good and care for their skin, hair, and nails. You can sublet space in salons or cosmetics-friendly businesses as you grow your inventory.

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Chemist

If you have a certificate that allows you to operate a Chemist, go ahead and start one in Kisumu. If you don’t have a certificate, you can partner with someone who is allowed to operate a chemist. Positioning also matters, make sure you set the business in a busy street to attract as many clients as possible.

Motorcycle Spare Parts business

Boda boda is the most preferred mode of transport in Kisumu town as the residents find it cheap and more reliable. The business cannot work efficiently without spare parts, so as an entrepreneur, you should do a pilot survey in the region and establish which exact business premise will be ideal for the business.

Restaurant/Hotel/Guest houses

If you start a good restaurant with guest houses in Kisumu then your prayers will be answered. There is no business that makes money in this city like a hotel with guest houses. What you need to do is to make the guest houses affordable and then introduce meals that the locals like fish, chicken, and nyama choma.

PlayStation

Another profitable business to launch in Kisumu is PlayStation. Young people spend hours gaming. And it’s every day. Interestingly, you do not require any skill at all to run this kind of business. All you need is a good strategic location and the ability to keep up with the trends.

Mobile Food Cart Business

A mobile food cart is a low-cost business idea that can be profitable in Kisumu. You can serve local delicacies such as Chapati, Mandazi, and Samosas or fast foods such as chips, sausages, and boiled eggs. The best place to the station is near busy streets, schools, or office areas.

Second-hand Bookstore

Starting a second-hand bookstore can be a viable business idea in Kisumu, especially near learning institutions or busy streets. The capital required would be to purchase a few books as you grow your stock as per market needs. The target market is students and book lovers.

Photocopy and printing business

For every admission to schools, interviews, or other formal jobs in Kisumu, paperwork is required. This means cyber services are still much needed in the county. You could start your photocopy bureau with printing, typing, laminating, scanning, and other cyber services and earn while running your business.

Vegetable and Fruits Vending

Kisumu is home to a vast range of agricultural produce. Starting a vegetable vending business in the city can be profitable as it caters to the demand for fresh, locally grown vegetables. The best location to set up the company is near busy marketplaces in the town or densely populated residential areas.

Start your fish-selling business in Kisumu

Who doesn’t know Kisumu for fish? Kisumu is well known for fish and you can find fish at cheap prices here (specifically around the beaches) than anywhere else in the country.

The secrete to succeeding in the Kisumu fish business though is to sell a varied smorgasbord of fresh fish, all the time, fried, wet fry, grilled fish, poached fish, steamed fish, broiled fish, and baked fish.

Car wash

The car washing business is a business idea that you can venture into as there are a lot of vehicles in Kisumu but very few car wash centers in most regions. Ideally, car washing centers in Kisumu charge between Ksh. 50 for motorcycles, 200 or more for salon cars, and up to Ksh. 3,000 for heavy commercial vehicles.

Poultry Farming

Poultry farming is a low-cost business idea that can be profitable in Kisumu. You can start by purchasing and raising a few chicks until they are mature enough to sell or lay eggs. Your house and feed them locally available feeds and have.

Cereals Business

Any business that sells food always has a high chance of growth for one simple fact. People have to eat daily! Cereals are not perishable, are consumed daily, and only need a little money to start. Your initial stock should have maize, beans, and rice. Once it grows, you diversify to include more cereals as per demand.