A new global study presented during the ongoing Forest Stewardship Council’s (FSC) General Assembly has revealed a shift in global priorities. According to the 2025 Global Consumer Awareness Survey, which was commissioned by the FSC with Ipsos, a majority of people (52%) surveyed across 50 countries are preoccupied with war and conflicts, pushing the overarching threat of climate change, at 31%, into a distant second place. This was the case even after the world experienced its hottest year on record, suggesting that the growing crises, especially in Africa, are temporarily overshadowing chronic environmental dangers. According to the survey, Kenya and…
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.
Across Africa, an economic transformation is underway that is redefining the very concept of waste and turning ecological challenges into unprecedented opportunities. This tangible vision of the circular transition was on full display at the recently concluded 2025 Annual Meeting of the African Circular Economy Alliance (ACEA), where local entrepreneurs proved that Africa’s green economy is already taking root and growing. From Kenya, where the E-Waste national guidelines and implementation framework provides a structured roadmap for managing electronic waste, to Madagascar, where polyethene sachets are ingeniously recycled into durable thread for handbags, and Burkina Faso, where plastic waste is reborn…
Trade facilitation was the topic of the day as the International Trade and Logistics Summit (ITLS 2025) kicked off in Mombasa, bringing together players from shipping, maritime, and logistics sectors across Africa and beyond. The two-day summit, organized by the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce (KNCC) and the Kenya Freight Forwarders Association (KFFA) in partnership with Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) and Mombasa County Government, set the stage for crucial dialogue under the theme “Innovating logistics, technology, sustainability, and collaboration for a resilient future.” According to Mohammed Daghar, PS State Department for Transport, who presided over the opening of the summit,…
Team Europe, in collaboration with its African partners, has launched a major new regional initiative aimed at advancing healthcare across East and Southern Africa. This ambitious programme, dubbed “Regional Access and Accountability for Increased sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) Equity in East and Southern Africa” (RAISE SRHR), is dedicated to strengthening health systems and dramatically expanding access to essential SRHR. The initiative’s core mission is to improve access to life-saving services and medical commodities while simultaneously fostering stronger regional collaboration and accountability mechanisms. Backed by a substantial investment of approximately Sh2.84 billion (EUR 19 million) from the European…
After many years of progress, Africa still continues to face a number of issues, including persistent development challenges. It is for this reason that a powerful coalition of global financial institutions has announced the creation of Zafiri. This new investment vehicle is designed to channel crucial funding into small-scale, decentralized renewable energy projects across sub-Saharan Africa. The African Development Bank Group, the International Finance Corporation, and partner organizations have appointed the Africa-based firm Inspired Evolution as the investment manager for this ambitious initiative. Zafiri is the central pillar of “Mission 300,” the landmark joint initiative by the World Bank Group…
Coca-Cola HBC AG, currently the world’s third-largest Coca-Cola bottler, has agreed to acquire a controlling 75% stake in Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (CCBA). The deal, worth Sh335.92 billion ($2.6 billion), was announced jointly with The Coca-Cola Company and Gutsche Family Investments (GFI). It is expected to position Coca-Cola HBC as the dominant force in Africa’s non-alcoholic ready-to-drink market and the world’s second-largest Coca-Cola bottler by volume. The transaction, which values the entirety of CCBA at an equity value of Sh439.28 billion ($3.4 billion), involves Coca-Cola HBC purchasing 41.52% of Coca-Cola’s stake and the entire 33.48% held by GFI. The acquisition is…
Revolutions seem to be popular in 2025, and industries are not being left behind. There has been a dramatic and rapid adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) across workplaces in Africa. In fact, according to a study conducted by the Toluna research agency and commissioned by Kaspersky, 81.7% of the professionals surveyed admitted to now integrating AI tools into their daily tasks, signalling a profound shift in how work is accomplished. From drafting emails and editing texts to generating images and analyzing data, AI has moved from a theoretical concept to a practical, everyday tool that the masses are using daily.…
The Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASP) Bill 2025, having cleared its final hurdle in the National Assembly, the third reading, now sits on President William Ruto’s desk, waiting for the signature that will make it law. The bill is set to finally drag the world of crypto into the disciplined light of day, offering consumers much-needed protection and giving legitimate businesses the legal certainty they’ve been craving. Once signed into law, every company dealing in digital assets will now have to find a home within the formal financial system, answering either to the steady hand of the Central Bank of…
A significant resurgence in lending by commercial banks to the private sector has emerged as a pivotal factor behind the Central Bank of Kenya’s (CBK) latest decision to lower its benchmark interest rate. After a period of contraction earlier in the year, growth in private sector credit has shown a remarkable and steady improvement, climbing to 5% in September 2025. This recovery from a -2.9% in January signals a revitalisation of business and consumer confidence, providing the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) with the evidence it needed to enact a further 25-basis-point cut, bringing the Central Bank Rate (CBR) down to…
With geopolitical tensions currently having a greater effect on the world, Africa has decided to increase its reliance on intra-African trade. As a result, a quiet revolution is underway at Africa’s borders, one that promises to reshape the continent’s economic destiny. The vision, championed by leaders and participants at the recent Africa Resilience Forum 2025, seeks to replace the traditional, often cumbersome, border checkpoints with single, digitized posts that facilitate, rather than hinder, the flow of commerce and people. This practical step emerges as a critical pathway to unlocking the immense potential of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA),…