Business

FKE Executive Director Jacqueline Mugo said many firms in the region have shut down because of high operating costs, causing about 5,000 people to lose their jobs.

The software will allow users to select data or navigate by the user’s eye movement toward the top or bottom of a page.

At first, the shift felt experimental, a leap into a future that was still uncertain, but months down the line, Achiya says the decision is paying off.

Rather than splurging on high-end goods and extravagant experiences, the country's rich are prioritising financial growth.

Cooperatives Cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Oparanya told the Senate plenary that the system will help recover unpaid loans and ensure the fund benefits more people.

The highest loan was held by former Kuscco managing director George Ototo at Sh103.11 million. Former finance manager George Owino had borrowed Sh17.98 million, while former internal auditor Kenneth Kimaiyo owed Sh9.5 million.

Owalo said the use of AI in agriculture has supported precision farming, and in healthcare, it enables early diagnosis and personalised treatment.

As of April, the country’s risk index stood at 53.47, reflecting a relatively stable political environment and favourable financial conditions

Some entrepreneurs are forced to obtain up to 20 different clearances, with costs running into hundreds of thousands of shillings before they can fully launch operations.

Tecno, long considered Samsung’s closest rival in Kenya, declined from 17.9 per cent to 15.02 per cent, though it retained the second position overall.

Kagwe said the meeting was part of efforts to grow Kenya's footprint in the Chinese tea market and increase exports to the Asian nation.

Only 11 African countries face US tariffs above 20 per cent, and just two of those send more than 10 per cent of their exports to the US.

This development comes shortly after Amazon recently ramped up its efforts with Project Kuiper, launching its first two prototype satellites. With the competition intensifying, SpaceX remains the leader in satellite internet, now with over 5,500 operational satellites in orbit.

The second phase of the programme, launched in December, targets penalties and interest accumulated up to December 2023.

The updated logo has already started appearing across Google’s suite of apps and services, with a full rollout expected in the coming days.

According to Agriculture CS Mutahi Kagwe, Kenya's improved digital infrastructure now allows international buyers to participate in the coffee auctions.

Built with titanium frames and Gorilla Glass Ceramic 2, the device is as durable as it is stylish. It’s also rated IP68 for water and dust resistance, making it perfectly suited to everyday Kenyan life, whether you’re squeezing into a matatu in Nairobi or tackling dust storms in Turkana.

Among the major outcomes was the adoption of the EAC Cross-Border Payment System Masterplan, a strategic framework designed to make cross-border payments within the region more affordable and efficient.

The update will allow users to delete sent messages from both their own device and the recipient’s chat, all while providing more control over conversations and helping avoid accidental or regrettable texts.

However, despite the anticipated fall, the lender notes that prices will remain higher than pre-Covid levels, reflecting ongoing supply chain challenges and structural shifts in global demand.

The deal is expected to improve morale among port workers and support the continued growth of the country’s key maritime gateway.

Data from the country’s largest telecommunications provider shows that the number of active users rose to 7.9 million—an increase of 12 per cent from the previous year’s 7.1 million subscribers.

This drop in earnings from rural power use marks the first such decline since the financial year ending June 2020, when electricity sales dropped by Sh700 million to Sh10.1 billion—a 6.48 per cent fall.

Earnings from re-exports grew by 77.3 per cent to Sh180.2 billion in 2024, primarily due to increased re-exports of kerosene-type jet fuel.

The surge in global commodity prices comes at a time when Kenya’s inflation has also been on the rise, mirroring a trend that began in October last year.

Domestic taxes made up a large part of this total, with Sh1.386 trillion collected from July 2024 to April 2025, marking a 4.7 per cent growth.

This update, which is currently rolling out globally on Android devices, leverages advanced image recognition technology to detect addresses, landmarks, and map pins from screenshots saved in a user's phone gallery.

With this new update, YouTube has made it easier for users to enjoy Shorts on their TV screens with a dedicated Shorts row in the Subscriptions tab, which allows for a more streamlined and visually appealing way to engage with vertical, short-form content.

This new "snooze button" feature allows users to temporarily mute songs that have been overplayed, giving listeners the ability to avoid hearing those tunes for a 30-day period.

Britain's Airtel Africa on Thursday said it expects to list Airtel Money, its mobile money services unit, in the first half of the calendar year 2026.

In the public sector, the hospitality sector, emerged as the highest-paying, with an employee earning an average annual wage of Sh2.9 million in 2024.

The Meta-owned platform is currently testing a message summary tool that would help users quickly catch up on long conversations without having to scroll endlessly.

The duties now threaten to erode Kenya's competitiveness in its most lucrative export market.

Job creation also quickened in the period under review, the strongest observed in nearly one year, as firms looked to ease pressure on workloads.

Even though large investments were made in the farming sector, its growth dropped to 4.4 percent in 2024 from 7.7 percent the previous year.

This job growth marked a strong recovery after the sector lost over 8,200 jobs in 2023. Employment had dropped by 12.46 per cent from 66,260 in 2022 due to declining global textile sales triggered by high inflation that reduced household spending.

According to the 2025 Economic Survey, the number of passengers transported via SGR declined by 10.3 per cent from 2,729,000 in 2023 to 2,447,000 in 2024.

The system promises to streamline fuel station operations while ensuring that every transaction is electronically captured and transmitted to KRA in line with tax laws.

The number of international visitors arriving through Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi grew by 10.1 per cent to 1,627,837, while those arriving via Moi International Airport (MIA) in Mombasa rose by 30.6 per cent to 204,891.

Starlink has already secured licences to operate in nine Airtel Africa markets, including Kenya, Nigeria, Zambia, Malawi, and Rwanda. Licensing processes are currently underway in additional countries, such as Tanzania, Uganda, and Gabon.

Currently, YouTube Premium offers a student discount in Kenya at Sh290/month, but a two-person plan could better suit those who want Premium features without paying for an individual plan or family tier.

The total projected cost of extending the SGR from Naivasha to Kisumu is Sh380 billion, while the final section from Kisumu to Malaba, which borders Uganda, will require an additional Sh122.9 billion.

Google is reportedly preparing to roll out a new design language that promises smoother animations, cleaner lines, and a more minimalist interface.

Kenya's economy grew much slower than anticipated in 2024, recording a GDP growth rate of 4.7 per cent against the projected 5.7 per cent.

This is from Sh15.03 trillion in 2023, representing an eight per cent year-on-year growth.

Additional chargers will be set up in Nyeri, Kisumu, Eldoret, Nakuru, Mombasa and Taita Taveta Counties, with six strategically placed within the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).

ICJ Kenya said the court confirmed WorldCoin began collecting data without obtaining valid consent from the ODPC and failed to carry out the mandatory data protection impact assessment.

According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), a two-kilogramme packet of fortified maize flour retailed at an average of Sh169.41 in April, up from Sh165.05 in March, marking a 2.64 per cent increase.

The company said the decision follows a strategic review undertaken by the Board of Directors and is part of a wider global restructuring plan.

According to the Treasury, the move is aimed at tightening tax compliance and ensuring that foreign firms contributing to large public contracts also meet their tax obligations in Kenya.

With Kenya among the over 40 new countries receiving this update, Spotify is signalling its commitment to expanding its footprint in Africa.