Author: David Indeje

KCB Group has announced a Sh13 billion dividend payout following a robust first-half performance in 2025, underscoring its resilience and regional momentum across East Africa. The board has recommended an interim dividend of Sh2 per share and a special dividend of Sh2 per share, linked to the successful sale of National Bank of Kenya (NBK) to Nigeria’s Access Group, finalised in May. This marks the largest interim and first-ever special dividend in the group’s history. “The strong half-year performance and the projected trajectory of the business has allowed us a great bandwidth to propose a historic special and interim dividend…

Makini Schools, backed by South Africa’s ADvTECH Group, has acquired Regis Runda Academy in Nairobi, marking a major expansion in Kenya’s premium education sector. The acquisition, valued at KSh1.23 billion, reflects ADvTECH’s continued commitment to delivering international-standard education across Africa. Located in the Ridgeways area, Regis Runda Academy will be rebranded as Makini School Runda and officially integrated into the Makini network on August 20, 2025. The school has a capacity of 2,000 learners and offers a competency-based Kenya Curriculum, positioning it as a key player in East Africa’s modern education landscape. “We are delighted to increase our Makini Schools…

Kenya’s digital landscape between 2020 and 2024 has been a study in contrasts—marked by rapid technological advancement and economic digitisation, yet shadowed by growing threats to digital rights, online freedoms, and media independence. The State of the Internet in Kenya 2020–2024 report by the Bloggers Association of Kenya (BAKE) offers a comprehensive and sobering account of this period, highlighting the complex interplay between innovation, regulation, and civil society resistance. Rapid Growth in Connectivity and Digital Economy Kenya solidified its role as East Africa’s tech powerhouse, driven by widespread mobile penetration and the dominance of mobile money platforms, such as M-PESA.…

The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) has launched a high-profile tender for a Retail Bond System (RBS), sparking intense industry debate just days after the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) recorded record-breaking secondary bond market turnover. On July 21, the NSE reached KSh 1.552 trillion in year-to-date turnover, surpassing the total for the entire 2024 year with five months remaining. If current trends continue, turnover could top KSh 2.5 trillion by year-end, cementing the NSE’s role as the nucleus of government securities trading. CBK’s tender, published July 24, seeks a full-spectrum digital platform for retail bond issuance, settlement, and investor servicing.…

Kenya’s annual inflation rate rose to 4.1% in July 2025, up from 3.8% in June, marking a three-month high and matching the peak reached in April. The uptick was largely driven by rising costs in essential items, with fuel, electricity, and food leading the charge. Key Drivers of Inflation in July Category Change (YoY) Change (MoM) Food +6.8% — Transport +4.1% — Cooking Gas +17.7% +6.7% Electricity — +5.4% Maize +20.3% — Sugar +17.5% — Cabbages +18.4% — According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, elevated prices in food, utilities, and transport continue to strain household budgets. Monthly inflation…

The East African Community (EAC) Secretariat has issued a firm reminder to Partner States to uphold their commitments under the EAC Common Market Protocol, following mounting concerns over recent trade restrictions introduced by Tanzania. In a statement released by EAC Secretary General Hon. Veronica M. Nduva, the Secretariat emphasised that “unilateral backtracking on these commitments is inconsistent with the obligations under the Protocol,” referencing the legally binding Schedule of Commitment on the progressive liberalisation of services. This comes in the wake of Kenya’s formal protest against Tanzania’s newly enacted Business Licensing Order, which bars non-citizens from operating in 15 key…