Paytech MAs are Redefining Africa's Payments and Banking Landscape
Africa’s payment sector is undergoing a profound transformation, with Paytech mergers and acquisitions (MAs) reshaping how value is exchanged, how digital economies grow, and who controls the rails of financial [...]
Ghana’s Credit Rating Rebounds with Gold Windfall and Fiscal Discipline
Ghana has received a significant boost in international investor confidence after Fitch Ratings upgraded the country’s Long-Term Foreign-Currency Issuer Default Rating (IDR) to ‘B-’with a Stable Outlook from ‘Restricted Default’ [...]
Parliamentary Bill Promises KSh 16.8bn for Marginalised Counties, but Treasury Commits Less
The Equalisation Fund Appropriation Bill, 2025, introduced in Parliament this week for the second reading, seeks approval for the issuance of KSh 16.8 billion to support basic infrastructure in more [...]Kenyan Hotels Hit Hard by Trump Policies as NGOs Cut Bookings
US President Donald Trump's recent policies and tariffs are negatively impacting Kenya’s hospitality sector, with hotels reporting lower conference bookings from donor funded programs and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs). “The hotel industry players for instance reported [...]China Will Open the Tariff Gates, But Can Africa Leverage This?
China’s pledge to scrap tariffs on all African exports flatters the continent with a promise few are equipped to seize. Middle low-income nations in the continent (like Kenya) may celebrate [...]Telco-Backed Virtual Cards are Disrupting Africa’s Plastic Payments Dominance
The surge in mobile money-linked Visa and MasterCard virtual cards is reshaping e-commerce and remittances across the continent. Africa’s long-standing reliance on bank-issued plastic cards is facing a serious shake-up. [...]No Takeover Plan by Sanlam Kenya’s South African Majority Owners
Listed financial services group Sanlam Kenya Plc is navigating a significant corporate restructuring after it recently completed a KES 2.5 billion rights issue which has reshaped its shareholding structure. This [...]
Wealthy Borrowers Dominate Hustler Fund, Undermining Its Original Purpose
Wealthy individuals have emerged as the most enthusiastic borrowers of the Hustler Fund, with 35.8% of those in the highest wealth quintile and 33.5% of those in the second highest [...]How Higher Capitalisation Will Reshape Kenya's Banks, Economy
Fewer, better capitalised banks may catalyze the mobilization of domestic savings, boost national investment, support economic modernization, and advance Kenya’s Vision 2030 goal of attaining upper-middle or high-income status, comparable [...]Gold Refineries in Nairobi Are Fuelling Smuggling from Neighbouring Countries
The large number of gold refineries operating in Nairobi and its surroundings is fuelling smuggling across the region, a new report by the development organisation SWISSAID claims. “These refineries might [...]Kenya's Unit Trusts Edge to Half a Trillion in Assets, Sanlam Dethrones CIC
Kenya’s unit trust industry has entered 2025 at full throttle with Assets under management (AUM) smash every record, surging to KSh 496.2 billion in March—up 28% in just three months [...]Private Sector Growth Slows as Consumers Remain Hesitant on Spending
The private sector’s seven month run of improving business conditions suffered a mild halt in May as rising prices contributed to a drop in customer spending. “The Stanbic Kenya PMI signalled fragility [...]
