Author: Laiza Maketso

Airtel Africa on Thursday said Mastercard will invest $100 million (Ksh 1.09 billion) in its wholly-owned subsidiary Airtel Mobile Commerce (AMC) BV.   AMC BV is currently the holding company for several of Airtel Africa’s mobile money operations.  The Transaction values Airtel Africa’s mobile money business at Ksh. 289 billion ($2.65 billion) on a cash and debt-free basis. Mastercard will hold a minority stake in AMC BV upon completion of the Transaction, with Airtel Africa continuing to hold the majority stake.  “With today’s announcement, we are pleased to welcome Mastercard as an investor in our mobile money business, joining The Rise…

With a view to engage youth and Kajiado counties in agribusiness, a package of KSh32 million. has been announced by Safaricom Foundation. The funding will support 800 youth in the growing of high-value crops and poultry farming to address the high unemployment rate fuelled by the Covid-19 pandemic. “There is an opportunity for us to create employment for youth and increase their productivity in the agricultural sector. Through this programme, we are reinforcing that farming is a viable and dignified source of livelihood, not a retirement option,” said Frankline Okata, Trustee, Safaricom Foundation. Through the programme, young people aged below…

Dubai-based independent hotel management company Aleph Hospitality has taken over as the manager of the Boma Hotel franchise in Kenya -Boma Nairobi, Boma Inn Nairobi and Boma Inn Eldoret. Last year, the National Bank of Kenya (NBK) had placed the hotels under receivership due to huge debt. As part of the agreement, Aleph Hospitality has pledged financial support to the Kenya Red Cross, by donating a percentage of its earnings from the hotels to local charitable initiatives. “We are committed to working with the owners to turn around the fortunes of these wonderful hotels and proud to support local humanitarian…

Boehringer Ingelheim ranks 12 among 20 pharmaceutical companies in the Access-To-Medicine Index for 2021, climbing two places. This was in recognition of its ongoing effort to overcoming barriers to access to healthcare, especially for vulnerable groups and communities in lower-to-middle-income countries. The Access-To-Medicine ranking report acknowledged Boehringer Ingelheim’s investments in R&D areas that are aligned with the focus of the index; this includes the Research Beyond Borders program, in which the company continues its search for new therapies for diseases such as tuberculosis, HBV and Dengue fever as well as treating antimicrobial resistance. Dr Antonio Ruffolo, Head of Access To…

Award-winning literacy organisation NABU.ORG is now in Kenya targeting parents and teachers who want to ensure that students get the best possible start to their education. This is through a reading mobile application that hosts a digital library with a variety of engaging and informative local stories written by local authors.    The reading app, loaded with e-books for kindergarten through third-grade reading levels, is currently available to all for free (downloadable from the Google Play store and the Apple store). NABU’s mission is to solve the global literacy problem, by providing every child with inclusive and equitable access to literacy,…

‘No Time to Die,’ James Bond’s 25th instalment in the franchise, has been delayed again! The film was set to open on April 2, but it has been pushed to October 8. https://twitter.com/007/status/1352416833815633922?s=20 This is the third time the film has been delayed.  It was originally set to open in North American theatres on April 10, 2020. The movie has been directed by Cary Fukunaga, and will star Ralph Fiennes, Rami Malek, Rory Kinnear, Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris, Lea Seydoux and Jeffrey Wright. Daniel Craig, 51, and longstanding James Bond, has confirmed that this will be his last. In No…