Fitch Ratings has held Kenya’s long-term foreign-currency issuer default rating steady at B- with a stable outlook. This reflects a balance of persistent fiscal and external vulnerabilities against recent strides in liquidity management. The agency states that while external financing risks have moderated somewhat, the country continues to grapple with substantial fiscal deficits, a high debt burden, and enduring revenue constraints that cloud its medium-term economic trajectory. One of the most pressing challenges remains the high external financing needs. Following the buyback of a number of eurobonds, the government’s external financing requirement is projected to reach Sh677.89 billion ($5.3 billion)…
Author: Antony Mutunga
Antony Mutunga
Antony Mutunga holds a Bachelors degree in Commerce, Finance from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology. He previously worked for Altic Investment & Consultancy before he joined NBM team in 2015. His interest in writing ranges from business, economics and technology. He is also our lead researcher in matters business.
The start of the year continues to offer new tides as a revolution takes place within the tax administration, shifting the normal image of compliance from physical queues to mobile chats on our phones. This is as a result of the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) rolling out a 24-hour WhatsApp chatbot, a digital front door that already supports 15 services, allowing taxpayers to ask questions and file returns remotely. This strategy is positioned as a cost-reduction play for both the citizen and the government. By meeting people where they are, KRA is simplifying the process and actively reshaping the relationship…
2026 is proving to be a year of mergers and acquisitions. After Nedbank’s recent proposal to acquire a majority stake in NCBA, the Competition Authority of Kenya (CAK) has given the greenlight for the acquisition of Paramount Bank Limited by Zenith Bank PLC, granting its approval with a crucial condition aimed at protecting jobs. Zenith Bank PLC, which is incorporated in Kenya, is a subsidiary of a group listed on the Nigerian and London stock exchanges, with no current operations in the country. Its parent company provides a wide array of financial services across multiple continents. On the other hand,…
The Competition Authority of Kenya (CAK) has approved Celebi Cargo GMBH’s proposed acquisition of Transglobal Cargo Centre Limited, stating that the transaction is unlikely to negatively affect competition in the cargo handling market or public interest. Celebi Cargo GMBH, an air cargo handling business operating at Frankfurt Airport, will acquire 100% of the shares in Transglobal Cargo Centre Limited, a private company known for its ground handling services at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, Kenya, under the brand name Africa Flight Services (AFS). This proposed deal, valued at Sh5.17 billion ($40.1 million), is intended to establish the merged entity…
Kenya has welcomed the birth of its first industrial Income Real Estate Investment Trust (I-REIT), a pioneering initiative set to reshape the region’s infrastructure investment scene. The Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG), through its project development arm InfraCo, has committed to anchor the upcoming ALP Industrial Real Estate Investment Trust with an investment of up to $15 million. This marks a significant confidence in the growing industrial real estate sector and unlocks a new channel for institutional capital. According to Raghav Gandhi, Chief Executive Officer of ALPH, the trust will bolster investor confidence. Approved by Kenya’s Capital Markets Authority in…
The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) forecasts that the country’s foreign reserves will increase significantly by the end of 2026. These reserves are projected to reach Sh1.84 trillion ($14.28 billion), enough to cover approximately 6.2 months of the country’s imports, which is a comfortable cushion up from the Sh1.60 trillion ($12.39 billion), enough to cover 5.3 months of imports at the end of 2025. This projection builds upon a remarkable surge of 34.8% in reserves achieved throughout 2025 alone. The driving force behind the upcoming enhancement is identified as expected capital inflows, primarily from Safaricom’s divestiture proceeds amounting to Sh203.91…
Remittances to Kenya have transcended their role as mere financial inflows to become the bedrock of the nation’s economic stability. Year after year, these diaspora transfers consistently outpace the foreign exchange earnings generated by the country’s most celebrated exports, including tea, coffee, and horticulture. However, in December 2025, inflows recorded a decrease compared to the same period in 2024. According to data from the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK), December remittances stood at Sh56.25 billion ($435.50 million), a modest decrease from the Sh57.52 billion ($445.39 million) recorded in the same month of 2024. Yet, for 2025 as a whole, remittances…
In Nairobi, traffic is more than an inconvenience; it is a daily drain on time, money, and energy. Ask any Kenyan, and they will share stories of hours lost, fuel burned, and expenses piled up from gridlock that seems to defy every plan to control it. This imposes a tax on daily life through soaring fuel consumption, inflated prices for goods and services, and the constant wear and tear on vehicles navigating imperfect roads. However, while Nairobi grapples with grounded congestion, a new solution is on the horizon, and it will not be on the road but above it. Dubai’s…
The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) and the Arab Coordination Group (ACG) have entered into a strategic partnership designed to reshape Africa’s economic future through large-scale investments. This marks a shift from fragmented, project-by-project cooperation toward a more programmatic and coordinated co-investment model aimed at addressing the continent’s development challenges. Africa faces a widening financing gap, with urgent needs in energy access, climate resilience, food security, and private-sector growth. The partnership seeks to bridge this gap by mobilizing resources in a more coordinated and catalytic manner. The two institutions will combine their financial strength, long-term financing capacity, sector expertise, and…
The Energy & Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) has unveiled a decrease in the maximum retail prices for all key petroleum products, effective from 15th January 2026 until 14th February 2026. Kenyans will see the price of Super Petrol drop by Sh2.00 per litre to stand at Sh182.52, while both Diesel and Kerosene will reduce by Sh1.00 per litre, standing at Sh170.47 and Sh153.78 respectively. This adjustment, mandated under the Petroleum Act, is primarily driven by a significant reduction in the international landed cost of fuel over the preceding months. According to EPRA’s data, while the average cost of imported Super…