Premium

CBK burns through forex reserves as Iran war hits homes

Rising fuel prices linked to the Iran conflict have pushed Kenya’s inflation to a 16-month high.

By Brian Ngugi 3 days ago

China cites ancient ties, pledges deeper cooperation with Kenya

China will deepen its cooperation with Kenya, its ambassador said on Monday, highlighting major infrastructure projects and educational exchanges as pillars of a relationship

By Brian Ngugi 3 days ago

Banks to step up loans recovery crackdown as NPLs climb in Q1

Commercial banks are preparing a sweeping crackdown on defaulters as non-performing loans (NPLs) climb to 15.6 per cent of gross loans in the first quarter.

By Brian Ngugi 3 days ago

Why CBK rules punish Kenya's safest borrowers and lock millions of farmers out of credit

Smallholder farmers in Kenya are being locked out of formal credit, not because they are risky borrowers, but because banking regulations are structurally biased against agriculture

By Brian Ngugi 6 days ago

Premium

Co-op Bank named Africa's SME Bank of the Year

Co-operative Bank of Kenya has been named SME Bank of the Year in Africa at the 2026 African Banker Awards for its strong support of small and medium enterprises across the continent.

By Brian Ngugi 7 days ago

Premium

Manufacturers warn of job losses, company closures if Finance Bill 2026 is passed

Manufacturers have opposed the Ruto administration’s Finance Bill 2026, warning that new levies on imports from EAC partner States could wipe out Kenya’s regional trade. 

By Brian Ngugi 9 days ago

Premium

Kenya's debt nears Sh13 trillion mark as repayment woes mount

Official government data shows that Kenya's public debt is racing towards a record of Sh13 trillion.

By Brian Ngugi 11 days ago

Premium

Mixed scorecard as Kenya hosts historic France-Africa summit

The Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi highlighted France’s push to rebuild ties with Africa through investment and mutual partnership.

By Brian Ngugi 12 days ago

KCB shareholders approve Sh22.5b dividend payout

KCB Group Plc shareholders have approved a total dividend payout of Sh22.5 billion for the 2025 financial year, rewarding investors with a 133 per cent jump in per-share returns. 

By Brian Ngugi 15 days ago

Premium

NCBA: Nedbank sale deal on track as profit up 9pc

The tier-one lender said profit after tax rose to Sh6 billion in the three months to March 31, up from Sh5.5 billion a year earlier.

By Brian Ngugi 15 days ago

Premium

Fuel is not a luxury, business lobby warns amid high prices

High fuel costs are crippling the flow of Kenya’s economy, a leading business lobby warned on Wednesday.

By Brian Ngugi 15 days ago

Premium

From Boeing cockpit to truck seat: Building Africa's logistics backbone

Former Boeing engineer Charles Thuo founded Apexloads to tackle Africa’s costly logistics inefficiencies through digital freight verification and financing systems.

By Brian Ngugi 17 days ago

Premium

IMF saw it coming: How global lender predicted Kenya's fuel protests

Protesters gathered along main roads across the country. Police fired tear gas to disperse them.  

By Brian Ngugi 16 days ago

Centum Re begins handover of 400 apartments at Nairobi's Two Rivers

Centum Real Estate has begun handing over units at its 400-apartment Cascadia development within Nairobi’s Two Rivers, with phased delivery expected through December 2026.

By Brian Ngugi 16 days ago

KCB Q1 net earnings hit Sh17.8b to join rivals in defying tough times

Growth majorly driven by growth in interest-earning assets and a drop in interest expense.

By Brian Ngugi 16 days ago

Equity Q1 net profit up 24pc to Sh18.3b on regional units

Equity’s regional expansion paid off, becoming the primary engine of earnings.

By Brian Ngugi 16 days ago

Premium

Families feel the pinch as war-hit diaspora remittances shrink

A decline in diaspora remittances, driven by Middle East conflict and rising living costs abroad, is deepening financial pressure on Kenyan households.

By Brian Ngugi 17 days ago

Kingdom Bank deepens MSME push with Industrial Area branch

Kingdom Bank has opened a new branch in Nairobi’s Industrial Area, expanding its physical footprint into one of the country’s most concentrated hubs of MSMEs.

By Brian Ngugi 18 days ago

Premium

Ruto's budget limbo deepens as IMF digs in on bailout conditions

The government’s fiscal planning has entered a precarious holding pattern after talks between President Ruto and IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva ended without a breakthrough.

By Brian Ngugi 19 days ago

Premium

Fuel lies: Crawling nation wrecked by wrath of Ruto's cheap fuel promise

Kenya’s record fuel price hike has exposed deep cracks in the government’s G-to-G fuel import system.

By Brian Ngugi 20 days ago

Premium

How oil suppliers were thrown under the bus

Kenya faces an international legal battle after cancelling emergency fuel import deals it had earlier approved.

By Brian Ngugi 20 days ago

Nairobi to host mega Africa food finance summit as $100bn gap weighs on growth

Nairobi to host major Africa agri-finance summit as leaders seek solutions to a $100 billion agriculture funding gap.

By Brian Ngugi 20 days ago

Afreximbank bets on $10bn crisis fund, gold bank to bolster African sovereignty

The bank continues to champion the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System, also backed by Kenya and the MANSA digital verification platform as foundational infrastructure.

By Brian Ngugi 21 days ago

Co-op Bank posts Sh8.41 billion profit amid tough economy

Co-op Bank has reported a record 21.3 per cent jump in first-quarter net profit, as a surge in earnings from its non-banking subsidiaries helped the lender defy a broader economic slowdown.

By Brian Ngugi 23 days ago

Premium

Ruto faces scrutiny amid concerns on 'undermined' country's sovereignty

In Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, military juntas have severed ties with Paris and moved toward new security partnerships.

By Brian Ngugi 22 days ago

Tala strengthens customer ID checks to protect borrowers from fraud

Tala has tightened customer identity checks by requiring users to submit IDs and live selfies to curb fraud and meet new lending regulations.

By Brian Ngugi 23 days ago

Premium

Two Rivers SEZ TRIFIC lists Sh4.8b green building fund on NSE

TRIFIC launches Sh4.8B green dollar REIT at Two Rivers SEZ to fund sustainable commercial towers and attract global investors.

By Brian Ngugi 23 days ago

Premium

Kiosk economy: How small traders fuelled Safaricom's Sh100b profit

Safaricom’s record Sh99.7 billion profit was driven largely by Kenya’s informal “kiosk economy”, with millions of small traders using M-Pesa till numbers and digital lending services.

By Brian Ngugi 24 days ago

Premium

Dangote favours Mombasa over Tanzania's Tanga for Sh2tr oil refinery

Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote says he is looking at Kenya as the location for a 650,000-barrel-a-day oil refinery he intends to build in East Africa

By Brian Ngugi 25 days ago

Premium

State plans major audit shakeup to stem graft, wastage of funds

New reforms will strengthen internal auditors and enforce stricter accountability measures to curb corruption and misuse of public funds.

By Brian Ngugi 25 days ago

Premium

Punitive, again: Ruto's 2026 Finance Bill revives ghost of Gen Z protests that forced retreat

Among the proposals are introduction of phone levy, water tax and sweeping powers for KRA.

By Brian Ngugi 26 days ago

Airtel takes on Safaricom with Sh5.6b data centre

The facility under construction in Tatu City, expected to be the largest data centre in East Africa.

By Brian Ngugi 27 days ago

Premium

'Phone is not a luxury': Former LSK boss faults tax proposals

Former Law Society president says 25 per cent activation tax will punish the poor, widen digital divide

By Brian Ngugi 26 days ago

Premium

Employers warn of rising costs, urge Ruto to protect jobs

The country’s main employers’ lobby has warned that a sharp rise in the cost of doing business was straining enterprises across sectors.

By Brian Ngugi 27 days ago

Premium

Dangote eyes Kenya as hub to raise African capital for refinery, other projects

Africa’s richest man Aliko Dangote is considering using Kenya as a base to raise fresh capital from African investors for his sprawling industrial empire, including his giant new refinery.

By Brian Ngugi 29 days ago

Premium

Ruto allocates more funds to sectors likely to win him votes in 2027

The newly released 2026-27 recurrent expenditure estimates show the Ruto administration has prioritised sectors likely to win him votes.

By Brian Ngugi 30 days ago

Premium

How Nairobi bourse got its groove back

The Nairobi Securities Exchange is experiencing a major shift as rising local retail participation is reducing reliance on foreign investors and stabilising the market.

By Brian Ngugi 1 month ago

Premium

Rogue cable firms and ISPs face jail terms, hefty fines

Communications Authority of Kenya has introduced strict rules forcing ISPs to share infrastructure, with rogue firms risking jail, fines and license loss for non-compliance.

By Brian Ngugi 1 month ago

Premium

Forex reserves slide as Iran war tests Kenya economy firepower

Kenya’s foreign reserves have fallen sharply as the Central Bank intervenes to stabilise the shilling amid rising oil prices and global uncertainty triggered by the Iran conflict.

By Brian Ngugi 1 month ago

Premium

Top bank chiefs reap millions in pay and perks on bumper profits

Top Kenyan bank CEOs earned multimillion-shilling pay packages in 2025 after strong profits, with KCB’s Paul Russo topping the list at Sh285.3 million.

By Brian Ngugi 1 month ago