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
NSE Loses KSh 96Bn in 7th Biggest Daily Drop Since 2008
The Nairobi Securities Exchange recorded its 7th largest single-day loss since 2008 on March 23, 2026, with KSh 96.02Bn in market value wiped out. Safaricom alone shed KSh 54Bn, accounting for over half the decline. The selloff, driven by the Iran war and Strait of Hormuz closure, hit a market that had rallied from KSh 2.94Tn to above KSh 3.5Tn on domestic capital alone, with foreign investors net sellers throughout. The launch of Ziidi Trader in February amplified retail participation but left the market exposed when institutional holders distributed into the rally. Market cap fell to KSh 3.38Tn but remains up 14.69% YTD.The South Sudan 'Ground Incident' Tearing Two Kenyan Aviation Giants Apart
The High Court has ordered Airworks Kenya Limited to pay USD 95,000 owed to Renegade Air Limited as a judgment on admission, in a legal battle over an aircraft lease agreementSweden Backs Jacaranda Maternity With KSh 77.6mn to Expand Affordable Care in Kenya
Swedfund, Sweden's development finance institution, has committed KSh 77.6 million to Jacaranda Maternity to support the expansion of affordable maternity hospitals in KenyaInsurance Statutory Manager Imposes Six-Month Moratorium on Three Insurers
Policyholders of three troubled insurers will face a six-month freeze on payouts after the Policyholders Compensation Fund (PCF) declared a moratorium following its appointment as statutory manager.Makini, Crawford Schools Owner Posts Record KSh 15Bn Profit in 2025, Doubles Down on Kenya Expansion
Makini Schools and Crawford International owner Advtech posted record FY2025 results. Operating profit crossed R2 Bn (KSh 15.39 Bn) for the first time, up 13.8%. The Education division drove growth with 12.9% revenue increase to R7.87 Bn (KSh 59.39 Bn). In Kenya, Regis Runda Academy was acquired for KSh 1.29 Bn and rebranded as Makini School Runda with enrolments up 17% post-acquisition. Free operating cash flow before capex surged 24.7% to R1.89 Bn (KSh 14.28 Bn).Kenya Moves to Protect Resource Revenue with Three-Account Sovereign Wealth Fund
Kenya plans to channel future oil and mineral revenues into three separate accounts; Stabilisation, Strategic Infrastructure Investment, and, Future GenerationsKRA Proposes to Scrap KSh 5mn VAT Threshold
KRA is proposing to remove the KSh 5 million VAT registration threshold, requiring all businesses to charge and remit 16% VAT. The move aims to expand revenue collection but could increase costs for small traders and consumers.
