Each year, the Africa CEO Forum Awards recognises the leaders, companies and investors whose strategies and performance have contributed most to the momentum of Africa’s growth over the past year. There are seven awards, ranging from African Company of the Year to Private Equity Investor of the Year. In 2018, there is an injection of innovation in the Africa CEO Forum Awards with the launch of the Most Promising Company of the Year award, which turns the spotlight on the continent’s startups. To win this award, five young companies at the forefront of innovation will present their projects to a jury comprising…
Author: NBM CORRESPONDENT
Not new in the limelight, Lorna Irungu-Macharia has returned to the corporate high table after being unveiled as the new managing director of Gina Din Group, a public relations driven communications agency. She takes over from Eddie Wachira who held the position for a short period of time between 2013 and 2014. Before joining Gina Din, she was a managing partner at Siwa Communications, a boutique firm that provides communications support. Prior to this, she worked as radio presenter for Nation FM. She has also worked as a presenter for a TV show called Club Kiboko in the 90’s, a…
Azumi Mobile has announced support for PayJoy’s Lock, a patented Android application that can remotely lock and unlock smartphones offered on an installment plan by retailers, mobile operators, and finance companies. The PayJoy Lock locks the smartphone when a consumer misses a payment, but enables the user to remain connected to make emergency and support calls as well as to access critical applications like mobile money. GSMA stats show that smartphone ownership in Africa has doubled over the past two years to nearly 200 million connections, a number expected to rise to more than half a billion by 2020. However,…
BY VICTOR ADAR It is tough to offer affordable and innovative balances between staff’s well being and the company’s profitability especially where there are many specific management structures that is a mix of both junior and lower level managers. People generally have a predilection to something; some love meat others are plain vegetarians. Or, some would talk about dry fries, or wet fries. Well, meal choices are always endless, and some are affordable as others are quite expensive. But how do you find the right combination with a price tag that would work for all? Sodexo Kenya might just be…
Africa’s under-developed infrastructure, non-tariff barriers and finance constraints will limit the potential benefits of a continental free trade agreement that received political backing last month, Moody’s Investors Service said in a report today. The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which aims to create a single African market for goods and services, could boost intra-regional trade, which remains far lower than in developing Asian countries. “There is significant potential for further trade integration in Africa, which the AfCFTA could stimulate,” said Colin Ellis, Moody’s managing director — Credit Strategy and the report’s co-author. “This could improve the region’s credit profiles,…
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…
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…