Why Sameer Africa's KSh 9.19Bn in Properties Sit in Its Books at KSh 933Mn
Sameer Africa Plc is set to complete the sale of 3.75 acres of Mombasa Road land valued at US$7.13 Mn (KSh 919.70 Mn), carried on its books at KSh 15,000, with closure projected in Q2 2026. The proceeds would clear the company's retained earnings deficit of KSh 206.72 Mn and unlock dividends for the first time since FY2014. The deal spotlights a wider valuation gap: Knight Frank values Sameer Africa's investment property portfolio at KSh 9.19 Bn against a book value of KSh 932.79 Mn, implying unrecognized gains of KSh 8.26 Bn. The company holds an estimated 85-acre land bank in Nairobi's Embakasi area. The 3.75 acres being sold is less than 5% of that total.
Global Trade Weathers Tariff Storm as MEA Emerges as Strategic Hub, Citi Report
Citi's 2026 Supply Chain Financing report finds global trade resilient despite US tariffs reaching 16.8%. MEA recorded a 52% rise in shipments from North and East Asia, while China's exports to the region grew 61%.
AI adoption in trade finance rose 18 percentage points to 36% of large corporates.
Citi also piloted bill of exchange tokenization with PwC and Solana, compressing settlement from days to minutes.
Kenya Launches Tourism Digital Payments App 'TouristTap'
TouristTap, developed by Craft Silicon in partnership with KCB Bank and Visa, enables international and domestic visitors to make card-based payments directly from their mobile phones
BOC Kenya Extends 56-Year Unbroken Record with KSh 314Mn Profit in 2025
BOC Kenya posted record profit after tax of KSh 314.02Mn for FY2025, up 48.4% year-on-year, as revenue rose 18.5% to KSh 1.427Bn on stronger engineering project activity and rising medical and industrial gas demand.
Operating profit jumped 72.5% to KSh 383.68Mn, pushing the operating margin to 26.9%. The board proposed a final dividend of KSh 10.35 per share, bringing the total FY2025 payout to a record KSh 12.85.
CIC Insurance AGM on May 8 to Ratify Bonus Share Residuals
CIC Insurance Group's 47th AGM on May 8, 2026 will ask shareholders to ratify 53,587 additional ordinary shares allotted by the Board in June 2025, arising from fractional entitlements after the 1-for-10 bonus issue approved at the May 2025 AGM. The shares rank pari passu with existing stock. The meeting also covers FY2025 results, where net profit fell 82% to KSh 513.8 million, and a flat dividend of KSh 0.13 per share. Insurance revenue grew 12% to KSh 29.50 billion.
Manufacturers Decry Higher Compliance Burden While Illicit Operators Flourish
Kenya’s shadow economy has grown large enough to rival the country’s formal manufacturing sector, exposing a widening imbalance between compliant businesses and illicit operators.
Kenya Is Converting Investor Confidence into Real Economic Growth- Invest Kenya CEO
The direction set out at KIICO 2026 was clear. Kenya is not only open for business, it is actively working to ensure that investment opportunities are actionable, competitive, and supported by strong institutional frameworks.
Associated Motors Closes Shop After Losing 60 Year Isuzu Franchise
Family Bank appointed joint receivers over Associated Motors Limited and Sclaters Holdings Limited on 9 April 2026, weeks after Isuzu East Africa terminated its nearly 60-year dealership agreement with Associated Motors.
The receiverships cover charged properties in Nairobi and Eldoret secured under charges dated August 2021.
Separately, I&M Bank placed Jamii Distributors (E.A) Limited under administration on 1 April 2026. All three appointments were handled by Anant Bhatt LLP of Mombasa.
Kopo Kopo Among 32 New Licensed Digital lenders, Sector Loans Top KSh 133.5 Bn
The Central Bank of Kenya has licensed 32 additional digital credit providers, raising the total regulated digital lenders to 227.
The latest batch includes Kopo Kopo Inc. Kenya, acquired by Nigeria's Moniepoint in 2023, alongside Inkomoko Capital Kenya, Izwe Loans Kenya and Hakki Africa.
The sector's loan book has grown from KSh 28.9bn in 2023 to KSh 133.5bn as of February 2026, with 7.5 million borrowers. CBK has received more than 800 applications since March 2022.
Kenya Cuts Fuel VAT to 8% in 24Hr U-Turn
The Cabinet Secretary for National Treasury cut fuel VAT from 13% to 8% via Legal Notice No. 70 dated April 15, 2026, forcing EPRA to issue a pricing addendum just 24 hours after announcing record increases. Effective April 16, super petrol in Nairobi drops KSh 9.37 to KSh 197.60 per litre and diesel falls KSh 10.21 to KSh 196.63, pulling both products below KSh 200. Kerosene remains unchanged at KSh 152.78. The revision follows three layers of government intervention: a KSh 6.2 billion Petroleum Development Levy Fund deployment, a VAT cut from 16% to 13% on April 14, and the further reduction to 8% on April 15.
Sameer Africa Sells Last Tyre, Posts Best Operating Profit in 12 Years
Sameer Africa Plc posted operating profit of KSh 292.64 Mn for the year ended 31 December 2025, the highest since 2013, as revenue rose 11.1% to KSh 432.74 Mn entirely from investment property rentals.
The company recorded zero tyre revenue for the first time in its 56-year history. Total equity crossed KSh 1.00 Bn for the first time in the post-manufacturing era, rising 37.3%. Net profit advanced 5.5% to KSh 274.28 Mn with EPS of KSh 0.99.
A pending land sale valued at KSh 919.70 Mn is projected to close in Q2 2026, with proceeds worth more than three times annual net profit.
Saudi Arabia Fears Yemeni Houthis Might Blockade Crucial Red Sea Strait
The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz by the U.S Navy has escalated fears of retaliation by Iranian-backed Yemeni Houthis across a narrow strait in the Red Sea called the Bab al-Mandeb