NSE, Standard Group Appoint Catherine Kawira as Company Secretary
The Nairobi Securities Exchange and Standard Group PLC have appointed Catherine Kawira Bariu as Company Secretary at both institutions effective 1 April 2026, replacing Millicent Ngetich who held the role concurrently at both entities. Ngetich, a certified secretary and advocate with over 17 years of experience, served at Standard Group since 2015 and added the NSE role in January 2025. Kawira, formerly of Image Registrars, brings over a decade of experience in corporate governance, regulatory compliance, and legal advisory, including prior stints at the Judiciary and the Capital Markets Authority.
Kenya Raises KSh 50.19 Bn in Oversubscribed April Bond Reopening
The Central Bank of Kenya raised KSh 50.19Bn in its April bond reopening, exceeding the KSh 40Bn target by 25%. Combined bids reached KSh 74.89Bn (187% performance rate). The 15-year FXD1/2020/015 cleared at 12.19% yield (price 104.72), while the 25-year FXD1/2018/025 cleared at 12.99% (price 106.89), both below their coupon rates. CBK was selective on the 25-year, accepting 41% of bids at a 2.44x bid-to-cover. Net borrowing through 14 reopenings since July 2025 now totals KSh 737.69Bn, or 83% of the revised FY2025/26 domestic target of KSh 885.9Bn.Qwetu, Qejani operator posts KSh 1.52B Profit as Refinancing Offsets Rental Revenue Slide
Qwetu and Qejani operator Acorn Investment Management posted a combined net profit of 1.52 Bn across its two REITs in 2025, up 9.4%, as a 590 basis point cut in borrowing costs at the income REIT drove a 38% increase in distributions to 0.84 per unit despite a 3.0% decline in rental income. The Development REIT's profit held at 854.22 Mn as rental income more than doubled to 420.14 Mn, though finance costs surged 158.3% to 900.61 Mn to fund an active construction pipeline now extending to Eldoret and Kakamega for the first time.HF Group Completes Turnaround With Record Profit and Tier II Status
HF Group PLC posted a record profit after tax of KShs 1.42 billion for the full year ended 31 December 2025, the highest in the institution's history, as net interest income expanded 63.8% to KShs 4.36 billion. The result was driven by a 66% build-up in government securities to KShs 28.27 billion and a 22% reduction in the weighted deposit rate. Total assets reached KShs 82.40 billion. The banking subsidiary HFC was reclassified as a Tier II bank by the CBK in August 2025.Britam Appoints Celestine Munda as Interim Chair, Moves to Triple Employee Share Pool
Britam Holdings Plc has appointed Celestine Munda, a former Senior Partner and Country Managing Partner at Ernst and Young Kenya, as interim Chairperson of the Board with immediate effect following the passing of Chairman Kuria Muchiru on 19 March 2026. Munda, who has chaired Britam's Board Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee since joining the board in September 2022, will serve until a substantive appointment is made. At the same sitting, the board resolved to seek shareholder approval to expand its Employee Share Ownership Plan from 2% to 5% of issued share capital, lifting the maximum ESOP pool from 50.5 million to 126.2 million shares, with all acquisitions to be made via open market purchases on the NSE.Standard Investment Bank Profit Soars 966% to KSh 1 Bn as Mansa X, Ziidi Drive Record Year
Standard Investment Bank recorded a near-tenfold increase in profit to KES 1.040 billion for the full year ended 31 December 2025, up from KES 97.50 million, driven by a 202.5% rise in financial services revenue to KES 1.553 billion. The Mansa X Special Fund KES closed the year with total assets of KES 107.708 billion, delivering a 20.74% net return to clients. The Ziidi Money Market Fund, co-managed with ALA Capital for Safaricom, reported net assets of KES 15.48 billion for the 14-month period ended December 2025. SIB also broke ground on a KES 3 billion, 32-floor headquarters in Westlands, Nairobi.Britam Grows After-Tax Profit 10% to KSh 5.54 Bn as Claims Costs Erode Underwriting Gains
Britam Holdings Plc posted a decade-high profit before tax of KSh 7.90 billion in FY2025, up 7.8% from KSh 7.33 billion in 2024. Profit after tax rose 10.0% to KSh 5.54 billion, with EPS advancing to KSh 2.18. Insurance revenue grew 10.9% to KSh 41.65 billion, but the insurance service result fell 31.8% to KSh 3.46 billion on Medical and Motor claims pressure. Net investment income of KSh 31.87 billion cushioned the underwriting shortfall. Total assets reached KSh 243.8 billion. No dividend declared. A KSh 5.875 billion share premium reduction, pending shareholder approval, could restore the dividend pathway for the first time since 2019.CIC Insurance Posts 82% Profit Drop as Underwriting Fails
CIC Insurance Group posted a net profit of Ksh 513.8 Mn for the full year ended December 2025, down 82% from Ksh 2.86 Bn a year earlier, as the group's insurance service result swung to a loss of Ksh 176.0 Mn and a Ksh 1.0 Bn property revaluation gain that inflated 2024 earnings was absent. Insurance service expenses grew 16.4% to Ksh 28.21 Bn against premium revenue growth of 11.8% to Ksh 29.46 Bn. Net investment result fell 58.2% to Ksh 1.60 Bn. Asset management revenue was the standout, growing 40.7% to Ksh 1.78 Bn. The board maintained the dividend at Ksh 0.13 per share.Family Bank Posts Record KSh 5.4Bn Profit Ahead of NSE Debut
Family Bank Group posted a record profit after tax of KSh 5.38 billion in the full year ended December 2025, up 55.4% from KSh 3.46 billion in 2024. Net interest income rose 46.1% to KSh 15.63 billion as total assets crossed KSh 208.7 billion. The lender raised KSh 8 billion through an oversubscribed private placement in December 2025, lifting core capital to KSh 24.4 billion. Family Bank is scheduled to list on the Nairobi Securities Exchange by introduction in May 2026, with Standard Investment Bank advising on the transaction.Kenya’s Broadcasting Industry Faces Shake-Up as Regulator Tightens Licence Crackdown
A deepening standoff between the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) and major broadcasters is testing the balance between regulatory enforcement, commercial survival and constitutional protections on press freedom.
NSE Suffers Worst Week Since Covid 19 Week, Oil Shock Wipes KSh 231Bn From Market
The Nairobi Securities Exchange recorded its worst week since COVID-19, erasing KSh 231.17Bn across five consecutive losing sessions in the second largest weekly decline since 2008. The Banking Index fell 8.03%, posting its worst day since launch on Thursday. The NSE 10 lost 9.02%, also a record worst week. ABSA dropped 14.5%, KCB shed 10.5%, and Equity fell 9.8%. Brent crude closed above $106 after Iran rejected US peace talks, with Kenya facing a fuel price shock at the April 15 EPRA review. Foreign investors were net sellers at KSh 503.76M. Market cap fell to KSh 3,241Bn. YTD gains narrowed from 12.24% to 4.76%.Kenya Re's Underwriting Engine Stalls, Investment Income Carries the Load
Kenya Reinsurance Corporation (NSE: KNRE) reported a KSh 3.92 billion profit after tax for the year ended 31 December 2025, an 11.6% decline from KSh 4.44 billion in 2024. The insurance service result collapsed 96.3% to KSh 108 million as net reinsurance contract expenses nearly doubled to KSh 1.35 billion. Net investment income surged 41.4% to KSh 6.60 billion, largely on a foreign exchange swing of KSh 1.44 billion. Operating cash flow fell 80.2% to KSh 876 million. A final dividend of KSh 0.15 per share was declared.
