Author: Alfred Onyango

Wake-up call as homegrown African firms slump to record low in 2025 brand rankings Jun 28, 2025

In Kenya, Safaricom retained its position as Kenya’s most admired made-in-Kenya brand and most admired NSE-listed brand.

Dark SME Day: Small-scale businesses face hefty losses due to protests Jun 27, 2025

Experts have since argued that the demonstrations may have pushed the most vulnerable enterprises to the brink, threatening not only their survival bu...

World Bank: Poverty reduction in Africa stalls as widening inequality slows economic progress Jun 25, 2025

The report notes that Africa has seen little improvement since the mid-2010s, with the region now home to more than 60 per cent of the world’s extreme...

African leaders urge US to ramp up investment, rethink tariffs Jun 25, 2025

Senior State Department Bureau Official Troy Fitrell said there are business leaders in the US who need to understand the opportunities that lie in do...

World Bank: Africa remains biggest development challenge despite 25 years of progress Jun 24, 2025

The World Bank adds that in the early 2000s, Africa enjoyed strong economic growth driven by high commodity prices and a surge in foreign capital infl...

Africa fueling global cropland growth as food demand intensifies - report Jun 24, 2025

Much of the continent's cropland growth during the period under review was driven by increases in staple crops, such as maize, rice and wheat, particu...

Kenya leaps to top of Africa’s electricity regulation index, matching Senegal Jun 22, 2025

The rank marks a major leap for Kenya, which climbed from fifth place in 2022, the previous edition, to the top of the rankings.

Kenyan diaspora sets new remittance record this year, sending Sh57 billion in May Jun 21, 2025

The new record surpasses January’s total of $427.4 million (Sh55.2 billion), which had been the highest in the past five months.

Report questions AGOA’s effectiveness as deadline nears, extension talks continue Jun 21, 2025

While countries such as South Africa, Kenya, and Lesotho have benefited from preferential access under the scheme, Afreximbank notes that the recent i...

Kenyan employers to be bound by International law on workplace biological hazards Jun 20, 2025

Adopted during the recently concluded 113th International Labour Conference (ILC) in Geneva, Switzerland, the Convention represents a major step in ad...

Uneasy calm across Nairobi's CBD amid fears of fresh protests Jun 19, 2025

A heightened sense of caution was noticeable among traders and business owners, particularly in the wake of Tuesday's incidents involving looting and...

High interest rates, collateral gaps still hindering farmers' access to credit – CBK survey Jun 18, 2025

The CBK survey shows that 54 per cent of farmers said high interest rates were the main reason they couldn’t access credit, up from 38 per cent in Mar...

Foreign direct investment inflows to developing nations fall to 18-year low, threatening job growth - report Jun 18, 2025

FDI inflows to emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs) have weakened steadily as a share of their GDP since the global financial crisis

CBK extends operating hours for high-value transactions by four hours, starting July 1 Jun 18, 2025

New operating window will span from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm on all business days, four hours longer than the current schedule of 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.

UN warns of looming famine in East Africa as conflict, climate shocks deepen hunger crisis Jun 17, 2025

Notably, Sudan and South Sudan have been marked among the five hotspots facing an immediate risk of famine in the coming four months.

Dreams on hold: Grim global jobs outlook paints bleak future for millions of job seekers Jun 15, 2025

In Africa, the International Labour Organisation has downgraded the employment growth prospect from the earlier 1.8 per cent to 1.6 per cent.

Kenya backslides on gender equality push, parity score down 3 per cent in 2025 Jun 14, 2025

The decline marks a reversal in the country’s steady push toward equal representation and opportunities for women across political, economic and socia...

Energy shock returns: Oil prices soar as Iran-Israel tensions shake global economy Jun 14, 2025

The cost of crude oil affects everything from how much it costs to fill up your car to the price of food at the supermarket and retail stores.

Job losses loom as government mulls merging, dissolving 42 state corporations Jun 13, 2025

CS Mbadi said state corporations have long been flagged as a source of fiscal risk.

Small-scale farmers get Sh10.2 billion boost as state prioritises agricultural transformation Jun 12, 2025

However, the sector’s overall budget has been scaled down by three per cent to Sh47.6 billion, from the previous Financial Year allocation of Sh54.6 b...

World Bank raises poverty line to $3 a day, pushing millions into ‘extreme poverty’ category Jun 12, 2025

Ideally, this means a person will now be considered poor if he or she lives on less than $3.00 per day, up from the previous $2.15.

Regional watchdogs unite to curb cartels, tighten cross-border competition enforcement Jun 12, 2025

The agreement commits both agencies to harmonise competition enforcement across the regions and curb unfair trade practices that undermine fair market...

Businesses squeezed as government pending bills climb by Sh25 billion Jun 11, 2025

The mounting backlog of unpaid government bills continues to hamper their operations, despite repeated calls from stakeholders for faster settlement.

Boda boda riders’ voice key in spurring innovation for green movement, experts say Jun 11, 2025

Insights from earlier engagements revealed that riders are primarily concerned with three factors: convenience, durability, and better performance of...

World Bank downgrades Kenya's GDP growth to 4.5 per cent in June projection Jun 11, 2025

The projection also represents a significant cut from its earlier forecast of 5.0 per cent growth made in January.

AU slams Fitch over Afreximbank downgrade, calls rating flawed and legally inaccurate Jun 07, 2025

The African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) on Friday described the downgrade as analytically flawed and inconsistent with the legal frameworks that gove...

Kenya eyes US creative industry as blueprint to lift GDP share to double digits Jun 07, 2025

The ambition took centre stage at the US-Kenya Creative Economy Forum held on Thursday in Nairobi, which brought together creatives, policymakers and...

Kenya’s private sector activity in May dips for the first time in seven months Jun 06, 2025

The negative performance across the sectors is mainly attributed to the rising prices, which contributed to a drop in customer spending and weaker bus...

Youth redefine ‘good jobs’ amid rising unemployment, skills gaps and AI fears Jun 06, 2025

Esther Kimotho, a 28-year-old civil engineer based in Nairobi, says that for her, a good job is one where she feels respected and emotionally balanced...

Southern Africa tops continental trade rankings, outshining East Africa in intra-regional commerce Jun 04, 2025

East Africa ranks third, with a trade share of 63.6 per cent, just behind West Africa in second place at 66.3 per cent.

Why Kenya’s debt outlook is improving: Stronger shilling, weaker dollar, policy shifts drive decline Jun 04, 2025

According to Afreximbank's 2025 report on the state of debt burdens, a major external influence behind this shift is the changing economic policy envi...

Growth over the rest of the year clouded by uncertainty, economists say Jun 04, 2025

The survey attributes the bleak outlook to current geo-economic developments, such as tariff tensions between China and the United States, describing...

Gen Zs are the new force behind shifting consumer priorities, trends - study Jun 03, 2025

Generally, the shifting trend paints a picture of a maturing consumer base, where purchase decisions are increasingly driven by expectations of produc...

Biogas potential untapped despite promise for green drive, rural development - study May 30, 2025

This is despite its vast potential to propel the green drive and promote sustainable rural livelihoods.

World Bank urges Kenya to implement fuel carbon tax for Sh40.5 billion revenue boost May 30, 2025

However, the Bank strongly recommends imposing the tax on fuels at the point of entry into the country, saying this would better reflect the true soci...

Plastic bag ban widely ignored as Kenyan traders cite cost, convenience challenges May 30, 2025

A sugarcane hawker in Eastleigh’s Kamukunji area who identified himself as Waweru says he finds the prohibited bags convenient to his business and app...

Sub-Saharan Africa tops global list with 827 million people lacking adequate social protection May 29, 2025

Cash transfers are among the most commonly used social protection tools designed to enhance nutritional outcomes for poor and vulnerable households.

Kenya’s GDP to grow 5 per cent in 2025, driven by agriculture and fintech, says AfDB May 28, 2025

The lender credits the upgrade to robust growth in agriculture and vital service sectors, particularly fintech and mobile money.

Economic outlook: Kenya’s inflation climb raises prospect of monetary tightening in coming months May 27, 2025

The country’s resurgent inflation, driven by surging electricity and fuel costs, could force policymakers to consider rate hikes to keep price growth...

World Bank warns of mounting fiscal pressure as Kenya faces debt distress risk May 27, 2025

The lender highlights the narrowing room for manoeuvre in the country’s budget, driven by ballooning debt servicing costs, persistent revenue shortfal...

Kenya records surge in cybercrime with 82 per cent targeted, gaming sector most hit - report May 24, 2025

The proportion of Kenyans who were not just targeted but actually fell victim to fraud rose from eight to 11 per cent during the same period.

Availing of county budget details up, but key information remains hidden - survey May 23, 2025

Although more counties are releasing additional budget reports, the quality and comprehensiveness of these reports are not keeping pace.

Youth reproductive health gains at risk from cultural, financial strains, lobby warns May 23, 2025

The group says youth-specific service delivery remains underdeveloped, with few facilities offering tailored environments for adolescents.

Rising costs force many small businesses to cut corners, but customer loyalty key for survival May 22, 2025

A benchmark study reveals that three-quarters of consumers who tried a new mass market retailer for the first time in the past six months, and were im...

IEA: IMF programme failed to fix Kenya’s economy, focused on debt repayment instead May 21, 2025

The unresolved issues, according to the IEA, contributed to public discontent that culminated in widespread protests and an eventual premature end to...

Africa’s pharma market to grow 26pc by 2029 as demand rises, but local production still lags May 21, 2025

Data from the UN Trade and Development notes that over 70 per cent of Africa’s medicines are imported, and half of the countries on the continent have...

Boost for small businesses as Safaricom revamps ‘Fuliza’ and ‘Pochi’ with credit offer May 21, 2025

Safaricom announced it has enhanced the products to integrate a credit facility under a new offering dubbed Taasi.

Communications Authority of Kenya targets 100 per cent rural ICT coverage by 2027 under Sh40bn strategy May 21, 2025

Involving significant investments from both the government and private sector, the initiative focuses on creating impactful projects that address the...

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