The Co-operative Bank of Kenya has been named SME Bank of the Year in Africa at the 20th African Banker Awards, recognising its role in financing small and medium-sized businesses across the region. The award was announced Wednesday in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo, during a ceremony held alongside the African Development Bank Annual Meetings. The event is organised by African Banker magazine and IC Events, under the patronage of the African Development Bank. Co-op Bank was selected from a field of continental lenders, with judges citing its sustained focus on SME lending and expanded access to credit for small businesses.…
Author: Samuel Njihia
Rising fuel prices are squeezing businesses and households across Kenya, with the country’s top trade lobby warning that mounting taxes could further damage an already strained economy. Speaking during a webinar organised by the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry in partnership with Ichiban Tax & Business Advisory LLP, KNCCI chief executive KK Mutahi said soaring pump prices were pushing up the cost of transport, production and everyday essentials. “Fuel is not a luxury. It is the bloodstream of the economy,” Mutahi said. “It moves goods, powers production, supports logistics, and influences the price of almost every product and…
Schneider Electric has launched a new Innovation Hub and Hands-On Training Centre in Nairobi, strengthening its push into energy digitalisation, skills development and sustainability across East Africa. The global energy technology firm announced the opening on Wednesday, saying the facility is intended to support more efficient energy management and automation in the region. The centre is based at its new offices on the 10th Floor of The Purple Tower on Mombasa Road. Described by the company as a “living showcase” of its technologies, the Innovation Hub allows customers, partners and industry stakeholders to engage directly with integrated energy and automation…
Matatu operators have suspended their strike for one week, easing days of disruption that left many commuters stranded across most parts of the country. The move will allow talks between the government and transport stakeholders over fuel prices. Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen said on Tuesday that both sides agreed on the need for urgent discussions. “There was a need for negotiations with stakeholders at a high level, and they will take place within the next one week,” Mr Murkomen said. He added that the suspension would ease pressure on the public while allowing room for dialogue. “The strike is…
Long-serving Nation Media Group (NMG) chairman Dr Wilfred Kiboro is set to retire at the end of this month after three decades of leadership at the company. In a leadership transition, Joseph Muganda – a former chief executive of NMG – has been appointed as the new chairman of the Board of Directors, effective during the Annual General Meeting slated for June 27, 2025. Mr Muganda has over 30 years of experience working with big companies in Africa and the UK. He joined the Nation Media Group Board on November 1, 2024, and was the Group CEO from 2015 to…
Kenya is divided into 47 counties, each with its own unique code. The counties, which were previously known as districts before the promulgation of the 2010 Constitution, are basically subdivisions within the country for the purposes of local governance and administration. Here is a comprehensive list of 47 counties in Kenya along with their respective codes, from 1 to 47, to help you understand the country’s administrative divisions. Mombasa County County Code: 01 Governor: Abdullswamad Sherrif Nassir Kwale County County Code: 02 Governor: Fatuma Mohamed Achani Kilifi County County Code: 03 Governor: Gideon Mung’aro Tana River County County Code: 04…
The Nairobi County Health Committee has ordered the immediate closure of all Naivas Supermarket branches in Nairobi City County following the discovery of expired food products on its shelves. MCA Maurice Ochieng, leading the Health Committee, confirmed the findings during an inspection at the Naivas branch on Moi Avenue in the Central Business District. “We have discovered that the supermarket has been placing expired products on the shelves, putting Nairobi residents at risk,” MCA Ochieng said. The closure is effective immediately, and Naivas stores in Nairobi must cease operations until they conduct thorough product tests and obtain a clearance certificate…
Kenya’s economy is expected to grow by 5.4 percent in 2025, following a slowdown that saw GDP growth fall to 4.7 percent in 2024—the country’s weakest performance since the economic contraction caused by COVID-19 in 2020. Treasury CS John Mbadi announced the projection on Tuesday during a press briefing in Nairobi. Mbadi attributed the 2024 downturn to a combination of factors including a constrained government expenditure framework, high interest rates, nationwide protests in June, and adverse weather events. The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), in its 2025 economic survey, echoed the minister’s assessment, noting that these shocks significantly disrupted…
Kenya, the world’s leading exporter of black tea, is ramping up efforts to expand market access in the Middle East by engaging with Iranian business groups in a bid to ease restrictions on tea exports. On Thursday, Agriculture Cabinet Secretary (CS) Mutahi Kagwe led a high-level delegation to meet Iranian trade representatives, focusing on unlocking access to Iran’s lucrative tea market — which has faced trade challenges in recent years due to pricing caps and financial restrictions linked to sanctions. “Reopening access to Iran’s robust market could be a game changer for tea farmers and the entire tea value chain,”…
The Nairobi County government is set to demolish Gikomba market after claims that 70% of the market is on riparian land, a move that could result in significant losses for many traders. The decision comes a month after the Nairobi County government pledged to complete the construction of a three-bay fire station in the country’s largest ‘mitumba’ hub within six months. This commitment was made in response to a series of unexplained fires in the market that caused extensive damage to property worth millions of shillings. Netizens took to social media platforms to call out the government after traders were…
