When Uber quietly stopped accepting Visa card payments in Kenya in December, the change appeared at first like a minor technical adjustment. But as Kenyan riders began receiving in-app messages stating, “Visa cards are no longer accepted by Uber in Kenya. Please add a different payment method,” it became clear this was not a glitch—it […]

Kenya’s startup ecosystem reached a defining milestone in 2025, raising close to US$1 billion in funding and overtaking all other African markets to become the continent’s largest destination for startup capital. According to new data from Africa: The Big Deal, Kenyan startups accounted for nearly one-third of all venture funding raised across Africa last year, […]

The Government of Kenya has taken a decisive step toward reshaping its role in the country’s most valuable company. In January 2026, the National Treasury formally sought parliamentary approval to partially divest the State’s shareholding in Safaricom PLC, proposing the sale of a 15 per cent stake in the telecommunications giant. If approved and executed, […]

The performance of Kenya’s equity market in recent years presents a paradox that has increasingly puzzled analysts and policymakers alike. On one hand, the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) has delivered its strongest back-to-back performance in more than a decade, with benchmark indices posting historic gains and market capitalization expanding rapidly. On the other hand, foreign […]

Kenya’s telecommunications sector is once again under intense political, regulatory, and economic scrutiny. This time, however, the spotlight is not solely on corporate ownership or market concentration—but on the rules of the game themselves. Appearing before the National Assembly, executives from Airtel Kenya delivered a clear message to lawmakers: changes in Safaricom’s ownership structure are […]

The global spirits industry is undergoing a quiet but profound realignment. As consumer tastes evolve, geopolitical risks intensify, and capital costs rise, multinational producers are reassessing where and how they deploy capital. One of the clearest illustrations of this shift is unfolding in East Africa, where Diageo is seeking to complete a landmark divestment that […]

Kenya’s mobile money ecosystem is approaching a decisive new phase. After more than a decade of rapid growth, near-universal adoption, and relentless innovation, competition is no longer about signing up new users—it is about who controls how Kenyans borrow, spend, and manage short-term liquidity. At the center of this contest sits instant digital credit, a […]