Nielsen has hosted two milestone market intelligence events in Nairobi, Kenya and in Kampala, Uganda in the past month, aimed at helping delegates understand the ‘Changing nature of markets and consumers in East Africa and the resulting requirement for changing strategies in the wake of this flux. The conference included insight sessions on the evolving retail and consumer landscape in Kenya and East Africa, along with discussions on the key trends shaping the future of the country and what marketers can do to stay ahead of the curve. Speaking at the Kenya event Nielsen Retailer Vertical Lead for Emerging Markets Peter…
Author: NBM CORRESPONDENT
The market in Kenya for premium pickup trucks has been stirred by the arrival of the latest Volkswagen Amarok models, which are available with either automatic or manual transmission. This large and luxurious pick up has a two litre turbo diesel engine developing 180 horsepower linked with an eight speed automatic transmission. The Amarok has heavy-duty suspension with robust under body protection for the front end and the 80litre fuel tank. The cabin is protected against dust by the climatic air conditioning system. Built to cope easily with unsurfaced tracks, off road conditions, mud and steep climbs and descents the…
The super wealthy have a new acquired taste and it is in the environs of Kenya. A stream of deep-pocketed fellows is investing in second homes in Kenya. It is estimated that Kenya is already on the radar of 4% of the global rich and 24% of Africa’s super-rich. In addition, the rest of the multi rich have an eye on East Africa as a whole according to Knight Frank, a real estate consultant. Kenya has been branding itself as a high-end financial region that has seen local and international investors vest heavily in office spaces, homes especially in Nairobi,…
After a long period of time waiting, Kenyans will now be allowed to fly drones in the country’s airspace after the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) finally approved and published regulations that allow the use of unmanned aerial vehicles. Now besides the government, private citizens and companies will be allowed to import, own and fly drones for recreation, commercial and private use as long as they operate within the tough regulations put by civil aviation authorities. The regulations put up by the KCAA for those that are interested in drones are as follows; One must first receive approval from the…
Estonian ride sharing company, Taxify has introduced a new motorbike hailing service dubbed Taxify Boda which will work within their already existing smartphone app that has been used to hail taxis. The entry into the industry has been due to the growing demand for safer, reliable and organized motorbike services especially in the capital city. In attendance during the launch was Chisom Anoke, Taxify Kenya Operations Manager, who said, “The rising use of motorcycle riders for public passenger transport is a reality that we have to live with particularly in Nairobi where traffic jams and clogged roads tend to delay…
Kenyans will now be able to access loans at lower interest rates after the Central Bank of Kenya Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) reduced the Central bank rate (CBR) from 10% to 9.5% for the first time since September 2016. This was the lowest level the CBR has come down to since May 2015. According to the MPC, the decision to reduce the CBR to 9.5% is accredited to several factors. With the inflation expectations still being well anchored within the government target range and there being an increased optimism for growth prospects in the economy, the economic output was still…
Cross border e-commerce continues to provide significant growth opportunities for retailers and manufacturers with an international online product offering. According to a 2017 DHL report, cross-border retail volumes are predicted to increase at an annual average rate of 25% between 2015 and 2020 (from %300 billion to %900 billion) – twice the pace of domestic e-commerce growth. Steve Burd, vice president of sales for DHL Express Sub-Saharan Africa, says this highlights a boundless opportunity for African businesses looking to take a piece of the cross border e-commerce pie. Burd says that as the market leader in express logistics, DHL Express…
A number of African countries, 44 in total, have signed the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) framework agreement, which commits countries to removing tariffs on 90% of goods and lifting all barriers to trade within the continent. Eventually the free movement of people and even a common currency could become part of the agreement. In the meantime, to deal with the currency problem, banks have proposed an inter-African trade payment platform, which would make it possible for people to trade inter regionally in their local currencies. While Africa’s most developed countries are at an advantage due to their manufacturing capabilities,…
Over the last few years, Kenya’s rising public debt has been a point of discussion in most macroeconomic outlook discussions, with organizations such as the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), global credit rating agencies (Moody’s Credit Rating Agency, S&P Global Ratings, and Fitch Ratings) and the African Development Bank (AfDB), among others, raising concerns. Most recently, on February 14, Moody’s downgraded the government’s issuer rating to “B2” from “B1” previously, based on the observation that as the country’s financing needs continue to grow and the government turns to external commercial loans to fund the deficit, more pressure is…
BY DR BENJAMIN NJIHIA A ‘stomach ache’ is one of the common reasons a parent may bring their child for evaluation by a doctor. It may be due to constipation or bloating, but sometimes it may be associated with more serious conditions. If a child’s pain begins in the belly-button area and spreads to the lower right abdominal area, it may be the result of appendicitis, an inflammation of the appendix with subsequent infection. The appendix is a finger-like extension from the caecum, the first portion of the large intestine. Appendicitis is the most common reason for emergency surgery in children.…