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…
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.
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…
The Business Registration Service (BRS) has announced its plans to roll out a new, automated service designed to streamline and secure the process of changing company officials. This initiative, which will see a redesign of the old system, will rely on modern tech to make these filings fast, simple, and, most importantly, more secure from fraud. The new system will deploy multi-layered verification, specifically through one-time passwords (OTPs). This automation will govern the entire end-to-end process for confirming new director appointments, managing director resignations, and facilitating the transfer of shares. Basically, when a company wants to appoint a new director…
The Policyholders Compensation Fund (PCF) has officially doubled the maximum compensation payable to policyholders of collapsed insurers from Sh250,000 to Sh500,000. This policy, which takes effect from January 1, 2026, marks the first major adjustment to the compensation ceiling since the Fund’s operationalization in 2005. This move by the Board of Trustees of the PCF, established in consultation with the Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury, aims to restore public trust in the industry. Formulated against a backdrop of recent industry challenges, this measure seeks to bolster confidence and provide stability within the insurance sector. The compensation, established in consultation…
The Pfizer Foundation has committed millions over the next three years to expand its “Action & Impact: A Cancer Care Initiative” in Kenya and Ethiopia. This investment aims to improve breast cancer outcomes by addressing late-stage diagnoses and enhancing access to care and treatment in sub-Saharan Africa. Two partnerships will be empowered by this funding to tackle this challenge: the Academic Model Providing Access to Healthcare (AMPATH) in Kenya, and Innovations in Healthcare in collaboration with the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) in Ethiopia. In partnership with their respective health ministries, they will seek to improve breast cancer care in…
Kenya Power has recorded a significant surge in electricity sales during the first five months of FY2025/2026, a promising indicator of growing energy demand and economic activity. According to the latest data from the utility firm, total units sold by the utility company reached 4,975.19 Gigawatt-hours (GWh) from July to November 2025, compared to 4,602.52 GWh in the same period in 2024. This indicates a positive trajectory for the national power distributor. The report not only reveals a rise in domestic consumption but also a dramatic shift in the regional energy trade dynamics. A closer look at the data shows…
Fuel prices in Kenya are likely to see an increase after the eight core architects of global oil policy within the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies (OPEC+) decided to maintain current production levels through the first quarter of 2026. The decision, made by Saudi Arabia, Russia, the United Arab Emirates, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Iraq, Algeria, and Oman, which account for over half of the world’s oil, cements the stance adapted in November 2025 when the group opted to temporarily suspend output increases for the quarter in response to seasonally weaker demand during the Northern Hemisphere winter. This…
