Centum Investment Company has announced a dividend of Sh521 million, with nearly half of it being a special distribution coming on the back of several investment exits in the financial year ended March 2026. The dividend is made up of an ordinary payout of Sh0.42 per share, amounting to Sh281 million, and a special distribution of Sh0.36 per share, totalling Sh240 million. Centum has suggested the dividend following a decline in the group’s net profit by 8.4 percent, decreasing to Sh743.91 million from Sh812.81 million recorded in the prior financial year. At the corporate level, net earnings increased by 87…
Author: Vizboy
The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) is ramping up efforts to crack down on tax evasion through tighter compliance measures and digital reforms aimed at creating a fairer business environment. KRA and the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) met to talk about the changes. The tax authority explained how they plan to increase the number of people who pay taxes, make it easier for businesses to follow the rules, and improve the way taxes are administered. The push comes because the government wants to get more money by taxing more businesses instead of taxing people who already pay their taxes more.…
The Agricultural Finance Corporation (AFC), a state-owned development finance institution, is scaling up innovative financing models to broaden access to credit for farmers lacking traditional collateral as it aims to boost financial inclusion and enhance Kenya’s agricultural sector. In an exclusive interview with Capital FM, AFC Managing Director George Kubai disclosed that the organization has intentionally developed lending products to facilitate agricultural financing for farmers who lack conventional collateral or title deeds. “We really are intentional when it comes to driving financial inclusion and making sure all farmers across the country are able to access financing from Agricultural Finance Corporation,”…
Visa has appointed former Airtel Money Kenya managing director Anne Kinuthia Otieno as its new vice president and head of East Africa, effective August 4, 2026. Visa has appointed Nairobi-based Kinuthia Otieno to head the global payments company’s operations in seven East African markets as it expands digital payments and financial inclusion in the region. “East Africa is one of the most dynamic and innovative payments markets in the world, with tremendous opportunities to advance financial inclusion and digital commerce. I look forward to working with Visa’s clients, partners, and talented teams across the region to help drive the next…
Former Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) Governor Njuguna Ndung’u has revealed that M-Pesa faced strong resistance from within the regulator before its launch in 2007, with some officials fearing the mobile money platform could facilitate money laundering. During an event in Sweden, Ndung’u, who subsequently served as Treasury Cabinet Secretary, stated that certain members of the CBK perceived the proposed mobile money service as either a money-laundering tool or a pyramid scheme. He said he instead saw its potential to advance financial inclusion and pushed the regulator to engage with the innovators rather than block the product. “It was in…
Kenya’s attractiveness to investors is being eroded by factors such as high business costs and policy uncertainty. Consequently, investors are comparing Kenya to other regional markets that have more predictable policies and lower costs. Isaac Otolo, the Advisory – Transactions Services Partner at PwC Eastern Africa, engaged in a conversation with Capital Business regarding the investment landscape of Kenya and the necessary reforms to increase investor confidence. Here is what he had to say. Kenya has often been cited as having a high cost of doing business, driven by factors such as high taxes, expensive energy, and regulatory costs. In…
Investors who sold their Treasury bonds on the secondary market at the Nairobi bourse made a profit of Sh132.7 billion after falling returns on new issuances triggered a surge in prices and demand for older, higher-return papers. The gains were 30.7 percent higher than the Sh101.58 billion profits that bond investors recorded at the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) in the first half of 2025. The profits are derived from the difference between the selling price of the bonds at the secondary market and their face value, which is the amount the seller paid the government when purchasing the paper in…
CIC Insurance Group has established a microinsurance subsidiary that is dedicated to enhancing the availability of affordable insurance products for low- and middle-income earners, micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), farmers, and cooperatives. The new subsidiary, CIC Impact, will provide insurance products that are simplified and intended to enhance the resilience of underserved communities, thereby enhancing financial inclusion. CIC Insurance Group Chairman Dr. Nelson Kuria said the company has offered microinsurance products for more than a decade, but the new subsidiary will enable it to focus on developing innovative products and reaching more Kenyans. “While CIC has provided microinsurance solutions…
In an effort to increase transparency and improve debt management, the Kenyan government is creating a new digital platform to centralize public debt data. The National Treasury said the Public Debt Data Warehouse will consolidate debt information from multiple systems into a secure, centralized platform. “Once operational, the system will streamline debt data management by reducing manual processes, eliminating duplication, minimizing errors, and improving the speed, accuracy, and reliability of public debt reporting,” the Treasury said after Principal Secretary Dr. Chris Kiptoo received a progress update from the Public Debt Data Warehouse Implementation Committee. “The initiative will also strengthen transparency…
Kenya is seeking to narrow its Sh1.14 trillion trade deficit with China as exporters move to capitalize on China’s new zero-tariff policy for goods from 53 African countries, including Kenya. The policy, which took effect on May 1, 2026, was the focus of the “Zero Tariffs, Infinite Opportunities” symposium in Nairobi, where government officials, business leaders and exporters discussed strategies to boost Kenyan exports to the Chinese market. Speaking at the forum, Chinese Ambassador to Kenya Guo Haiyan said the initiative marks a new phase in China-Africa economic cooperation and is expected to deepen trade, industrialization and investment while creating…
The Kenyan government has defended its proposed Instant Fines System, arguing that the technology-driven enforcement framework will improve road safety, reduce corruption and help curb the enormous economic losses caused by road crashes. In a submission to the National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Transport and Infrastructure, the Ministry of Roads and Transport said road traffic crashes cost Kenya an estimated Sh1.356 trillion in 2024, equivalent to 8.2 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), highlighting the urgent need for stronger traffic law enforcement. The Ministry said the proposed system is part of the National Road Safety Action Plan (2024–2028) and will…
More than half of the firms flagged for higher exposure to money laundering risks are in the real estate and legal services sectors, putting these two sectors at the forefront of Kenya’s fight against illicit financial flows. A 2025 Financial Reporting Centre (FRC) risk assessment reveals that 282 of the 442 entities profiled across four sectors fall into the medium- or high-risk categories, highlighting persistent gaps in anti-money laundering controls. The real estate sector recorded the highest exposure, with 153 agencies classified as medium or high risk, compared with just 40 rated low risk. The legal profession followed, with 74…
The Kenya Revenue Authority’s (KRA) Customs and Border Control (C&BC) Department exceeded its revenue target by Sh8 billion in the 2025/26 financial year after collecting Sh988.78 billion. The department had set a revenue target of Sh980.79 billion, meaning collections surpassed the goal by approximately Sh8 billion. The performance also marked a 12.4 percent increase from the Sh879.33 billion collected in the 2024/25 financial year. KRA attributed the record performance to enhanced compliance measures, higher cargo volumes, technology-driven customs processes, improved risk management and closer collaboration with stakeholders. “This historic performance demonstrates the effectiveness of our customs modernization programme and our…
The Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) has welcomed a compromise between traders and the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) that will see the customs benchmark value for consolidated cargo rise gradually, giving importers more time to adjust. The agreement follows consultations between KRA, consolidators, clearing agents and other industry stakeholders over a customs directive prescribing benchmark customs values, commonly referred to as “minimum yield.” Under the deal, the current benchmark of Sh2.5 million will remain in force until August 20, after which a revised benchmark of Sh3.2 million will take effect from August 21. To cushion traders affected…
