For businesses across the region, the cloud presents a unique opportunity to innovate, develop new products and services, and scale into new markets or geographies By Hardeep Sound When the early days of the pandemic pushed industries across East Africa into survival mode, a wave of cloud adoption swept through the region. Investment into cloud technologies and digitalisation has since helped organisations in the region build greater resilience, unlock new business models, and push up revenue streams. Even the most reluctant businesses and their customers gathered momentum and entered the online space, an indication that the benefits of digitalisation became…
Author: NBM CORRESPONDENT
The first ever eco-friendly beauty palour has been launched at the heart of Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD) to meet the growing consumer demand for high quality affordable services whilst addressing environment concerns. The Borderless Salon, Barbershop and Spa, located at Bruce House on Standard Street, emphasises on use of sustainable salon products that reduces use of plastic by embracing those with glass packaging. It is designed to ensure circular and sustainable practices at every stage of service delivery. Eco-friendly heaters and washers fitted with thermostats have been installed at the facility to reduce electricity and water consumption, respectively. It…
Ecuador made the perfect start to the World Cup tournament by beating host nation Qatar 2-0 yesterday in the Group A game with a brace from veteran striker Enner Valencia, who scored on a penalty kick and then a header in the first half. The game marked the first time a host nation had been beaten in a World Cup opener. Fans dressed in national soccer jerseys and carrying Ecuadorean flags in honor of the team known as the ‘Tricolor’ filled restaurants, squares and shopping centers in various parts of the nation to encourage the team with the ‘yes we…
Amid ongoing disruption, small players are turning to the cloud to help evolve their business models, achieve greater efficiency, and drive innovation. The impact of the pandemic has left many Small and Medium Enterprises operating under constrained conditions, according to Jade Michael, head of public cloud at SAP Africa. “The ripple effects of the pandemic and the global economic slowdown have disrupted SMEs’ growth plans, with many now seeking new tools and technologies to drive innovation and ensure continued growth,” says Michael. He notes that many small enterprises realize that achieving growth in an ever-evolving business environment is impossible without…
BY TERESIA KING’ARA This book will stay with you long after you are done reading it. It is a roller coaster of emotions based on cultural undertones that still manifest in one way or another to date. Set in Nigeria, West Africa, it brings to life salient yet unspoken and unquestioned cultural beliefs that continue to set the tone for marriages. It highlights the frustrations both men and women undergo in marriage as they chase an illusionary perfect marriage. Based on two characters, Yejide and Akin, who have been married since they met and fell in love at university, the…
BY ANTONY MUTUNGA Urbanization has been rising across Africa – most people are moving to urban places to improve their living standards. And the trend points to a need for housing, which continues to be elusive, especially to those with low buying power, who are constantly forced to stay in informal settlements and slum areas. In Kenya alone, there is an estimated need for over 350,000 units every year to accommodate the growing population in urban areas. That is why the government turned to an affordable housing strategy to increase the number of units. But, barriers still exist. Information asymmetry…
Agribusiness is a viable economic avenue that can empower our farmers if done correctly By Chris Flowers Agriculture holds the key to the economic transformation of Kenya and the East African region. The challenge, however, lies in practicing agriculture sustainably to unlock its true value from food production to agro-processing. Ahead of the 27th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) to be held from November 6 to 18, 2022, in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, we have many challenges ahead. Some are brought on by climate change, population pressure, and political or financial instability within our economic and geopolitical space. Still,…
By Dr. Echey Ijezie Even after coronavirus exposed glaring flaws in the world’s collective ability to respond to infectious disease outbreaks, we are seemingly back to the old ways, as evidenced by the global response to the now endemic monkeypox. The world may once again lose a chance to control a pandemic. The zoonotic viral disease only drew attention after affecting people in rich countries in the Global North. Even after the disruption caused by Covid-19, wealthy countries’ self-destructive unwillingness to cooperate for the benefit of the entire global population is evident again. This year, there have been dozens of…
BY TERESIA KING’ARA This book will stay with you, long after you are done reading it. It is a roller coaster of emotions based on cultural undertones that still manifest in one way or another, to date. Set in Nigeria, West Africa, it brings to life and light, salient, yet unspoken and unquestioned cultural beliefs that continue to set the tone for marriages. It highlights the frustrations, both men and women undergo in marriage as they chase an illusionary perfect marriage. Based on two characters, Yejide and Akin who have been married since they met and fell in love at…
To save workers from old age poverty crisis, the NSSF needs more hard reforms than money By Ephraim Njega The ongoing debate about social security and retirement savings is timely. In Africa, social security systems were guaranteed because of social norms that ensured that the old members of the society were taken care of by the young. It has always been a communal responsibility where the young takes care of the old—the financially well-heeled help out the struggling relatives. For today’s right-thinking members of society, the approach is not feasible anymore – with cases of financial instability on the rise,…
