Microfinance Integration in Nairobi's Informal Marketplaces: A Three-Year Empirical Analysis of Women Entrepreneurs' Financial Empowerment and Microeconomic Development Impacts

Microfinance initiatives have been implemented in various contexts to empower women entrepreneurs in informal marketplaces. However, understanding their long-term impacts and identifying effective mechanisms is crucial for policy-making. A mixed-methods approach combining quantitative surveys with qualitative interviews was employed. Data were collected from 200 randomly selected women entrepreneurs, ensuring representativeness across different market sectors in Nairobi. Women entrepreneurs reported a significant increase (p<0.05) of 34% in their average monthly income compared to the pre-intervention period, reflecting enhanced financial capabilities and business resilience. The study underscores the effectiveness of microfinance integration in fostering economic growth within Nairobi's informal marketplaces, particularly for women entrepreneurs. Policy-makers should consider scaling up microfinance programmes with tailored support services to sustain these benefits over time. The empirical specification follows $Y=\beta_0+\beta^\top X+\varepsilon$, and inference is reported with uncertainty-aware statistical criteria.