The Zanzibar International Film Festival, taking place in Stone Town Zanzibar from July 7th – 15th, with support from the Kenya Film Commission, is proud to announce the screening of the inspiring new Kenyan film, Supa Modo. The film which had its much acclaimed world premiere at Berlinale in February, has been heralded as a stunning debut for director Likarion Wainaina and its young cast. Acquired by Rushlake Media, the film was produced by Ginger Ink Films Africa in partnership with One Fine Day Films (OFDF). OFDF has released other award-winning African films including Kati Kati and Nairobi Half Life. It was at the One…
Author: NBM CORRESPONDENT
The recipient of this year’s Outstanding Leadership Award is Papa Madiaw Ndiaye, founding partner and CEO at AFIG Funds according to Private Equity Africa (PEA) that announced the winners of the 2018 GP & Advisor Awards last month in London. The awards, which saw 26 firms collect the coveted accolades at the 7th Annual PEA Awards Gala Dinner at London’s prestigious Langham hotel on 12th June, also attracted over 200 industry professionals. Papa Madiaw Ndiaye was fêted for his contributions to the growth of the industry. This is the only award given to an individual and voted on by industry…
A news service group has launched an innovative press video service that transforms textual press releases into a less than 60-seconds animated press video. AETOSWire, the news distribution arm of News Services Group and the exclusive representative of Business Wire, a Berkshire Hathaway company in the MENA region launched the service last month in Dubai. To keep pace with the ever-evolving and advancing communications landscape, AETOSWire always aim to anticipate the future needs of its clients and stakeholders. The Press Video is one of the latest services launched by AETOSWire along with the few most sought-after communication services, like the Audio Alerts for Journalists,…
Agribusinesses in East African Community (EAC) countries are to benefit from greater business opportunities in both East African and European markets thanks to a new initiative funded by the European Union. Unveiled last month in Arusha, Tanzania, the Market Access Upgrade Programme (MARKUP) will provide support to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across the region to improve access to EU markets and increase interregional trade. MARKUP sets out to support East African SMEs specialized in a variety of sectors, including avocado, cocoa, coffee, horticulture, spices and tea. Interventions will focus on the identification and elimination of barriers to trade; improving…
Over the years there has been a steady drop in the usage of commonly used words despite 81% of Kenyan households having dictionaries. Students, especially in the counties, have difficulty in spelling, according to a research conducted by OUPEA. Speaking during the regional Book Fair held in Kericho County, OUPEA general manager, Mr John Mwazemba called for key players in the industry to develop strategies to aid with transition of students by improving their vocabulary. He said that there is a massive word gap with research showing that kids today spell 5,000 words less than their counterparts. In May 2016,…
Accelerating digital transformation strategies, investing in new wireless and fixed network infrastructure, and embracing emerging technologies such as AI and IoT are among the top priorities for African telecom operators for the year ahead. This is according to global telecom, media and technology news and events company, TMT Finance. “Like many telecom operators globally, the major African operators are having to juggle several pressing priorities. It is well documented that traditional voice and messaging service revenues are decreasing, while pressure to plough big capex spend into new network infrastructure is weighing on balance sheets,” said Ben Nice, managing editor and…
The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) recently confirmed that Kenya is contemplating adopting the Chinese Yuan as a reserve currency. Dr Patrick Njoroge, the governor of the CBK confirmed this during the Guangzhou-Foshan Nairobi Business forum. This puts Kenya among the growing number of African nations that have been considering including the renminbi as part of their foreign exchange reserves. According to Dr Njoroge, this was inevitable as China has played a major role in the world economy making the Yuan a suitable currency of foreign trade. “It is inevitable that Kenya will include the Chinese yuan as a reserve…
Commercial Bank of Africa (CBA) has entered into a partnership with Ennovative Capital (ECap), a financial technology firm, to launch an online platform to facilitate the immediate payment of goods and services delivered by suppliers. The platform, referred to as Supply Chain Financing (Reverse Factoring), will allow corporate buyers to approve and submit their invoices to the CBA, which in turn will pay the suppliers with recourse to the corporate buyers. This way, the suppliers will have access to early payment against their invoices. According to Jeremy Ngunze, chief executive of CBA Kenya, the platform will assist by ensuring the…
Car and General has launched a new carriage style Piaggio three wheeler (tuk tuk) called the Romanza, which comes with a two-year warranty. It is a four-stroke 200cc petrol engine with an average fuel consumption of 30km per litre. “There is a growing need for urban transport which is driven by the rapid expansion of cities and towns in the 47 counties. Three wheelers are gaining popularity as they are perceived to be safer than motorcycles,” said Joshua Maithya, a Car and General sales executive for Piaggio. “The Piaggio Romanza features a drop top hood and coordinated half doors and…
Quantum power East Africa GT Menengai Ltd has received funds worth Sh5 billion ($49.5million) from the Climate Investment Funds (CIF) and the Clean Technology Fund (CTF) after the African Development Bank (AfDB) approved a senior loan of Sh3 billion ($29.5 million) and a concessional loan of Sh2 billion ($20 million). The funds are to be used on the development of a geothermal plant that is located at the Menengai geothermal field in Nakuru County. The funds will be going to a 35W geothermal power plant, which is part of a set of three other plants, which have a combined capacity…