Grounded Dreamliners and Fx Reversal Push Kenya Airways to 17.2 Bn Loss
Kenya Airways reported a net loss of 17.2 Bn for the full year ended 31 December 2025, reversing the 5.4 Bn profit that had marked its only profitable year in the past thirteen. Revenue fell 14.3% to 161.5 Bn after the grounding of three Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners due to GE Aerospace engine supply chain constraints cut capacity by 18% and passengers by 12.9% to 4.55 million. Negative equity deepened to 132.1 Bn. The government is seeking a strategic investor willing to inject up to $2 Bn, with four parties in active talks. Load factors have surged to near 100% in early 2026 as Middle East conflict reroutes traffic through Nairobi.
Airtel Africa Completes Starlink Mobile Tests in Kenya, Awaits Regulatory Clearance for Commercial Launch
Airtel Africa and SpaceX have completed field tests of Starlink Mobile's direct-to-cell technology in Kenya, connecting standard 4G smartphones to low-Earth orbit satellites in areas with no terrestrial signal. Tests confirmed successful WhatsApp, maps, and Airtel Money transactions without hardware changes. Airtel Africa, which covers 91% of Kenya's population terrestrially, is the first African operator to offer the service. A commercial launch depends on regulatory approvals from Kenya's Communications Authority and 13 other national regulators across Airtel Africa's markets.Ethiopian Airlines Partners with Marriott's Loyalty Program
Kenya Targets Over US$ 2bn in Investment Deals at #KIICO2026
Kenya has officially launched the Kenya International Investment Conference (KIICO) 2026, a flagship investment forum expected to mobilise more than Sh260 billion ($2 billion) in new investment commitments
Equity Group Shifts Expansion Plans to Angola as Ethiopia Entry Delays Persist
Equity Group is prioritizing expansion into Angola through a planned acquisition in Luanda, as regulatory and licensing delays continue to slow its long-standing efforts to enter Ethiopia.
Kenya is Winning the Electric Mobility Race- M-KOPA Mobility GM
What stands out about Kenya's e-mobility reality and potential is not any single intervention, but the alignment between policy, infrastructure, and financing.
Nairobi Ranks 6th in Sub-Saharan Africa, 56th Globally, in New Attractiveness Index
Nairobi has been ranked 56th globally and sixth in Sub-Saharan Africa in a new Global Attractiveness Index, reflecting a mixed profile of economic strength alongside persistent infrastructure and social constraints.CBK Pairs KSh 40Bn Bond Reopening With Another Switch Auction in April Programme
The Central Bank of Kenya has launched a KSh 60Bn borrowing programme for April, combining a KSh 40Bn bond reopening with a KSh 20Bn switch auction. The reopening covers FXD1/2020/015 (8.9 years to maturity, 12.756% coupon) and FXD1/2018/025 (17.3 years, 13.400% coupon), with the auction on 1 April. The switch targets holders of FXD1/2016/010, maturing August 2026, offering an exchange into FXD1/2018/015 due May 2033. It is the fifth bond switch in Kenya's history and the third in 2026. Net borrowing through reopenings has reached KSh 687.50Bn across 13 auctions since July 2025.Kakuzi Returns to Profit on KSh 1.07 Bn on Avocado, Macadamia Haul
Kakuzi Plc posted a pre-tax profit of KSh 568.4 Mn for FY2025 after a KSh 166.7 Mn loss in FY2024. Revenue rose 12% to KSh 5.37 Bn, the second-highest in the company's 32-year record. Avocado profit nearly doubled to KSh 709 Mn on 23% higher production despite lower European prices. Macadamia surged to KSh 365 Mn from KSh 69 Mn on a 30% kernel price recovery. Tea swung to a KSh 53 Mn loss. Blueberries turned profitable for the first time. Selling costs surged 47% on Red Sea disruptions, compressing the pre-tax margin to 10.6%. Dividend doubled to KSh 16.Sidian Bank Profit Jumps 500% to KSh 1.73 Bn as Public Sector Deposits Reshape Balance Sheet
Sidian Bank posted a sixfold increase in profit after tax to KSh 1.73 Bn for the year ended 31 December 2025, up from KSh 287 Mn, the strongest result in the lender's 40-year history. Total assets grew 50.8% to KSh 90.80 Bn, driven by a 62.9% surge in customer deposits to KSh 72.30 Bn from public sector mandates including Nairobi County, the Social Health Authority, the housing levy, Kenya Railways, and KEMSA. Government securities holdings doubled to KSh 49.05 Bn. The CBK reclassified Sidian from Tier 3 to Tier 2 in September 2025.Diamond Trust Bank's Profit Tops KSh 10 Bn as Deposits Cross Half a Trillion
Diamond Trust Bank Kenya's Group profit surpassed KSh 10 Bn for the first time, rising 21.4% to KSh 10.7 Bn for the year ended 31 December 2025. The milestone was driven by a 16.3% drop in funding costs that lifted net interest income 24.1% to KSh 34.9 Bn. Customer deposits crossed the half-trillion threshold at KSh 509.1 Bn. The Group completed the disposal of its Burundi subsidiary, booking a KSh 533 Mn loss from discontinued operations. The board proposed a final dividend of KSh 9.00 per share, up 28.6% from KSh 7.00.Kenya Weighs Funding to Evacuate Citizens Stranded in War Zones
Kenya is scrambling to fund evacuations from the war-hit regions even though the latest supplementary budget, drafted before the Middle East conflict, shows only modest increases
