The Nairobi Securities Exchange Plc (NSE) recently launched a dedicated Banking Sector Index. This new benchmark, which took effect from October 1, 2025, is designed to provide investors with a transparent and reliable gauge for tracking the performance of one of the market’s most vital segments. The index, which is both market capitalization-weighted and float-adjusted, will meticulously track the freely tradable shares of eleven listed banking institutions which include Absa Bank Kenya Plc, BK Group Plc, Diamond Trust Bank Kenya Ltd, Equity Group Holdings Plc, HF Group Plc, I&M Group Plc, KCB Group Plc, NCBA Group Plc, Stanbic Holdings Plc,…
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 Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) has announced a significant reduction in this year’s second payment, commonly known as the bonus, creating waves of concern across tea-growing regions. The agency attributed the lower earnings to a complex interplay of international market forces and a critical shift in currency exchange rates. With the Kenyan shilling averaging Sh129 to the dollar this year compared to Sh144 last year, revenue from tea sold in dollars translated into far fewer shillings, creating a financial headwind for the entire sector. This currency shock is reflected in regional price data, where tea from areas like Kericho…
Global trade turbulence has been the norm around the world, marked by sweeping US tariffs and persistent geopolitical frictions. However, the Eastern Africa region has managed to defy expectations of a downturn, actively expanding its export footprint on the world stage. According to recent data from the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, the region has carved out new opportunities in the shifting landscape, reporting a surge in economic activity, driven by a combination of strategic trade diversions, a continent-wide push for integration, and a fortuitous boom in global commodity prices. The region has witnessed a significant uptick in exports…
Kenya Airways (KQ) has slumped back into deep financial losses, reporting a staggering loss after tax of Sh12.15 billion for the first half of 2025. This dismal performance stands in sharp contrast to the modest net profit of Sh513 million the national carrier achieved in the same period last year and the Sh5.43 billion net profit it recorded as at 31st December 2024. The airline’s half-year results reveal a company grappling with severe operational headwinds that have crippled its revenue stream. Total income fell sharply by 19% to Sh74.50 billion, down from Sh91.49 billion in June 2024. Despite an increase…
M-KOPA, the continent’s leading inclusive fintech, has announced it has surpassed three million active customers as of September 2025, inching closer to its mission to serve 10 million customers by 2030. The company’s latest Impact Report shows that an overwhelming nine out of ten active customers state that M-KOPA has made their lives better, a significant increase from eight out of ten just a year prior. According to Jesse Moore, Co-Founder and CEO of M-KOPA, the focus is on active, engaged customers. “What matters most to us is how many people we’re actively serving every day, those who stay engaged…
As the world celebrates United Nations World Tourism Day, the government has announced a special gift for all Kenyans. This Saturday, September 27th, 2025, all citizens will be granted free entry to every national park, reserve, and sanctuary managed by the Kenya Wildlife Service. This generous initiative, which honours the day that aims to raise awareness of tourism’s social, cultural, political, and economic value and its potential contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals, will carry the powerful theme of “Tourism and Sustainable Transformation” this year. It will serve as a poignant reminder of tourism’s unique ability to foster positive change…
Afrobarometer, a pan-African, non-partisan research network responsible for high quality data and analysis on Africa, has unveiled a new virtual training video library. This move will serve as a significant step towards democratizing data and ensuring that African voices are central to policy and development conversations. This initiative provides free, step-by-step guidance through a series of short and user-friendly videos, designed to empower anyone, from government officials and journalists to students and the general public, to confidently navigate and utilize its vast survey data. The training focuses on the organization’s online data analysis tool, which offers free access to more…
The KCB Group and the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) have formalized a strategic partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding. The agreement, which was signed in Vipingo located in Kilifi County, is designed to channel substantial financial resources and trade facilitation support to investors within the Vipingo Special Economic Zone (SEZ). This collaborative framework sees Afreximbank committing an initial Sh64.60 billion ($500 million), with KCB Group providing an additional Sh38.76 billion ($300 million), to create a powerful financial pool aimed at transforming the zone into a hub for export-led growth. The announcement, made during the Arise Integrated Industrial Platforms – Kenya…
Kenya is set to bring a powerful and unified vision for the future of transport to the forefront at the upcoming Smarter Mobility Africa 2025 summit in Johannesburg. The event, scheduled for 30th September to 2nd October, will feature a high-level delegation coordinated by GIZ Kenya’s Promotion of E-mobility project, showcasing the nation’s comprehensive approach to building a thriving electric mobility ecosystem. This delegation represents the very heart of the county’s drive, uniting senior figures from Nairobi City County, the State Department for Transport, the State Department for Energy, Kenya Power & Lighting Company, and the Energy & Petroleum Regulatory…
Absa Bank Kenya PLC has announced the appointment of Mohammed Nyaoga, EBS, SC, as the new Chairperson of its Board of Directors effective 1st October 2025. He will be taking over the role from Charles Muchene, whose nine-year tenure as a Director and Chairman concludes at the end of September. The move marks the end of a notable chapter for the bank under Muchene’s guidance and the start of a new one led by one of the country’s most esteemed legal and corporate figures. Nyaoga brings an exceptional wealth of experience to the position, with a distinguished career in legal…