Nicasio Karani Migwi | The Kenyan Wallstreet

Lessons from Japan's Keiretsu in Building Sophisticated Kenyan Conglomerates

Lessons from Japan’s Zaibatsu and their post-war successors, the Keiretsu, suggest that sophisticated conglomerates can play a central role in strengthening national competitiveness, expanding industrial capacity, and driving innovation.

To Become "New Singapore", Kenya Needs Rapid and Planned Urbanization

Kenya and Africa risk missing a major economic opportunity unless urbanization is accelerated and planned. Global evidence shows that cities drive industrialization, job creation and GDP growth, yet Kenya remains under-urbanized and heavily reliant on agriculture. Without coordinated investment in infrastructure, housing, transport and urban governance, rapid population growth could deepen informality and inequality. Planned urbanization offers a pathway to diversified growth, higher incomes and long-term economic transformation.

Why Institutional Resilience Is Now a Core Corporate Governance Imperative

The world is entering an era of overlapping global crises, from pandemics and financial shocks to geopolitical conflicts and climate pressures. In this volatile and interconnected environment, institutional resilience, the ability to anticipate, adapt, and thrive amid disruption, is no longer optional. This article explores how governments, businesses, and organizations can strengthen their strategies, operations, finances, and governance to withstand shocks and seize opportunities in a rapidly changing world.

A County Industrialization Fund Could Unlock Kenya’s Manufacturing Potential

Kenya’s manufacturing sector remains stuck at 7.3% of GDP, far below Vision 2030 targets, with industrial activity concentrated in a few urban counties. As global manufacturers shift from high-cost economies like China, Kenya has a narrow window to absorb labour-intensive industries and tackle rising rural poverty and youth unemployment. Analysts are calling for a USD 4.7 billion County Industrialization Fund to anchor factories, agro-processing and exports across all 47 counties, leveraging public-private partnerships to drive rural industrialization and position Kenya as a regional manufacturing hub.

Why the Global Payments Race Is Pushing Banks Toward PayTech Acquisitions

Banks are increasingly acquiring payment technology firms as competition intensifies for control of payments infrastructure, customer data, and low-cost liquidity.

Africa’s Must-Win Battles in Financial Empowerment

The next frontier is not just inclusion but capability, the ability to effectively use financial services.

Formal Foundations Would Unlock New Capital for Africa's Universities

Formalizing and scaling university foundations across Africa can unlock new streams of capital and reduce overreliance on government subventions, writes Nicasio Karani Migwi. Kenya’s public universities are grappling with a [...]

Why There is a Geopolitical Scramble for Critical Minerals and Rare Earth Elements

The global race for critical minerals and rare earth elements is intensifying, with Africa emerging as a central battleground, writes Nicasio Karani Migwi. As countries accelerate the transition to clean [...]

What Corporate Boards Need to Focus On in a Fast-Moving, Uncertain World

Boards across the world, including in Kenya, are grappling with unprecedented challenges in an increasingly volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) environment. Their top priority has become ensuring organizational resilience [...]

For Businesses, Formalizing Philanthropy Shows Purpose and Profit Can Co-Exist

Businesses are increasingly being called upon to move beyond traditional philanthropy and embed Corporate Social Innovation (CISI) at the heart of their operations to fast-track sustainable development. The shift from [...]

Kenya's Universities Can Diversify Funding Through Venture Capital Funds

Introducing university Venture Capital (VC) funds into the market could offer pension schemes an attractive diversification play while fuelling Kenya’s knowledge economy. Globally, the model is well established. Kenya’s higher [...]

What Kenya Can Learn from Switzerland’s Thriving Innovation Economy

Kenya’s journey toward becoming an innovation-driven economy remains riddled with structural challenges. While global economies are steadily progressing from factor-driven to efficiency-driven- and ultimately to innovation-driven stages, Kenya remains largely [...]

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