Africa is losing out on billions of dollars each year by shipping out raw cocoa, gold, and cashews instead of turning them into chocolate, refined bullion, and packaged nuts, experts have warned at a major global finance summit in London. “Why should Africa keep exporting raw cocoa when the world craves chocolate? Why send raw…

Two Nairobi Securities Exchange-listed firms have announced leadership changes at the top of their boards, ushering in new chairpersons effective September 2025. For real time market updates and analysis, join our WhatsApp Channel. Etemesi, a career banker with more than three decades of international experience across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, was cleared by…

The Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) All Share Index, which tracks all stocks listed and market cap weighted, is having its strongest year since its inception in 2008, lifted by record index gains, expanded market capitalization, and renewed foreign investor flows. Foreign investors returned strongly in August. After a July outflow of KSh 524.1 million, August…

The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) has accepted only KSh 2.40 billion from the reopening of the 30-year Savings Development Bond (SDB), SDB1/2011/030. Bond SDB1/2011/030 (30-Year) Amount Offered KSh 20.00Bn Bids Received KSh 8.07Bn Amount Accepted KSh 2.40Bn Performance Rate 40.35% Average Accepted Yield 13.96% Coupon Rate 12.00% The weak subscription underscores a sharp contrast…

The Controller of Budget has advised the National Treasury to fast-track verification and settlement of more than half a trillion shillings in pending bills, as mounting arrears continue to choke private sector cash flows and undermine business confidence. Development arrears, largely owed to contractors and suppliers, account for KSh250.5 billion. State corporations dominate the ledger,…

IXAfrica Data Centre has secured a multi-tranche funding package from Rand Merchant Bank to expand its Nairobi campus, its CEO Snehar Shah said on Thursday. “Closing this financing with RMB secures our next phase of growth and positions us to welcome more hyperscale and AI customers,” said Guy Willner, Chairman of iXAfrica. In a phone…

Listed reinsurance company Kenya Reinsurance Corporation Ltd (Kenya Re) has suspended its managing director, Dr. Hillary Maina Wachinga, for 21 days as the board reviews what it called “internal matters.” “The Board believes that this action is in the best interests of the Company and its stakeholders to allow for a thorough and impartial assessment,”…

Nairobi is the latest stop for Tanzanian fintech, NALA, which is leaning on Equity Bank and Pesalink to speed its entry into one of Africa’s most lucrative remittance corridors. “This partnership will give fintechs and remittance firms direct access to trusted local rails and provide merchants and SMEs with quicker, more predictable international transactions,” said…

Foreign investor activity at the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) flipped sharply negative in the first week of September, reversing August’s record inflows. September has historically been an uneven month for foreign investors at the NSE. Strong inflows in 2015 (+KSh 6.5B), 2016 (+KSh 1.34B), and 2019 (+KSh 827M) contrast with multi-billion outflows in 2017–2023. The…