Trade constitutes a key and highly productive sub-sector of the Kenyan economy. It has strong linkages with other sectors of the economy and contributes towards employment and wealth creation.

It contributes significantly to the Kenyan Gross Domestic Product (GDP) through the promotion of domestic and international trade. The sector plays a crucial role towards the attainment of National Development Objectives and the Millennium Development Goal 1 which focuses on the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger and Goal 8 on the development of global partnerships for sustainable development.

The mandate of the County Governments is to promote domestic trade through the creation of an enabling business and investment environment.