A phone with no signal bars can now send a WhatsApp message from the Congolese forest. Airtel Africa and Starlink switched on a commercial satellite-to-mobile service in the Democratic Republic of Congo on August 14, 2026, in Kinshasa. It is the first time the technology has moved from pilot testing to a paid product anywhere on the continent. The service works without a dish, an extra device, or a new SIM. A regular phone, once it leaves Airtel’s ground network, hands off to a satellite overhead and stays connected. What the Service Does Airtel customers with a compatible phone can…
Author: David Indeje
David Indeje
David Indeje is the Community Engagement Editor at Khusoko, East Africa’s leading digital business news platform. He shapes editorial content, drives audience engagement, and amplifies diverse voices. Beyond journalism, he consults on digital strategy across agriculture, governance, technology, and health, while examining AI’s role in the future of media. He also serves as Communications Officer at KICTANet, advancing digital inclusion and policy dialogue.
Absa Bank Kenya PLC reported a 10% drop in first half profit after tax to KES 10.5 billion, down from KES 11.7 billion a year earlier, the lender announced in its unaudited results for the six months to 30 June 2026. The board approved an interim dividend of KES 0.50 per share, more than double the KES 0.20 paid out in the same period last year. Profit Down on Lower Interest and FX Income Group income fell 7% to KES 29.3 billion from KES 31.5 billion in H1 2025. Net interest income dropped 5% to KES 21.1 billion as the…
A Nairobi resident has taken British American Tobacco Kenya to the High Court, accusing the company of running unlawful marketing campaigns for its VELO nicotine pouches and targeting university students during the June to August holiday period. Vivian Anemba filed the constitutional petition on 22 July 2026 in the Constitutional and Human Rights Division of the High Court at Nairobi. The case, HCCHRPET/E484/2026, names BAT Kenya as the first respondent, alongside the Tobacco Control Board, the Cabinet Secretary for Health, the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Attorney General. What the Petition Alleges According to the petition, BAT promoters set…
Nation Media Group reported a net loss of KES 357.2 million for the six months to 30 June 2026, up from KES 41.7 million in the same period last year. Total comprehensive loss for the period was KES 401.7 million, compared with KES 47.4 million in H1 2025. The publisher of the Daily Nation, Business Daily and The EastAfrican said group turnover fell 4.8 percent to KES 2.85 billion from KES 2.99 billion. Management attributed the decline to lower print revenues. Revenue and Profit Broadcasting revenue rose 3.0 percent and subscription revenue rose 4.0 percent year on year. Gross profit…
Kenya’s foreign exchange reserves stood at USD 15,245 million as of August 13, 2026, providing 6.3 months of import cover. The Central Bank of Kenya said the position remains adequate, noting it meets the regulator’s statutory requirement to hold at least four months of cover, a threshold the country has now cleared by a wide margin for several weeks running. The figure caps a month in which reserves swung from comfortable to historic. What stands out is how the buffer has held near its peak rather than sliding back, a sign that the recent surge reflects a genuine step change…
The Central Bank of Kenya has trimmed its inflation peak projection by 40 basis points, signaling growing confidence that price pressures will ease faster than earlier expected. Policymakers now expect inflation to top out at 6.8% in January 2027, down from the 7.2% peak the bank projected for February 2027 in its June outlook. The revised path shows inflation easing further to 4.8% by August 2027. CBK projects the entire forecast trajectory will stay within its 2.5% to 7.5% target band, giving the Monetary Policy Committee confidence to hold its benchmark rate at 8.75% at its August 11 meeting, the…