KCB Group launched its Sustainability Bond Framework on Wednesday at the KCB Leadership Centre in Karen, setting a ceiling of Sh300 billion for a five-year medium-term note programme. During the panel discussion that followed, Group CEO Paul Russo said the figure understates what the market can absorb. “I actually think 300 is not ambitious,” Russo said. Frank Mwiti, CEO of the Nairobi Securities Exchange, agreed: “Yeah, I frankly believe… the moment you start splitting local currency and foreign currency, you start realising why the 300 billion is actually short.” Khusoko’s coverage of the launch and its explainer set out the…
Author: David Indeje
David Indeje
David Indeje is the Community Engagement Editor at Khusoko, East Africa’s leading digital business news platform. He shapes editorial content, drives audience engagement, and amplifies diverse voices. Beyond journalism, he consults on digital strategy across agriculture, governance, technology, and health, while examining AI’s role in the future of media. He also serves as Communications Officer at KICTANet, advancing digital inclusion and policy dialogue.
Equity Group Holdings built its reputation as Kenya’s largest bank. Its half year 2026 results tell a different story. The regional subsidiaries in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania and South Sudan now generate 52% of the Group’s assets, 54% of its loans and 47% of its profit before tax. Kenya still leads, but the gap is closing fast, and the country doing the most closing is the DRC. Group Managing Director and CEO Dr. James Mwangi framed it plainly during the investor briefing in Nairobi this week: “We can see now the race between Kenya and DRC…
KCB Group has published its Sustainability Bond Framework, setting the stage for a five year Medium Term Note Programme worth up to KSh300 billion ($2.3 billion), with the first tranche capped at KSh100 billion. The lender announced the framework on Wednesday at the KCB Leadership Centre in Karen, Nairobi. The bank says the document will guide how it selects, tracks and reports on projects funded through green, blue, social and sustainability linked bonds. The note programme itself still needs regulatory clearance before KCB can go to market. Moody’s assessed the framework and awarded it a Sustainability Quality Score of SQS2,…
Absa Group Limited closed its tender offer for Absa Bank Kenya shares on 11 August 2026 with just over a fifth of the target stock tendered, leaving its stake far below the 85% ceiling it had set for the deal. The Johannesburg based lender said in a statement that the offer to acquire up to 895,989,600 ordinary shares in Absa Bank Kenya PLC, a maximum of 16.5% of the bank’s issued share capital, closed at 5:00 p.m. on the deadline. Absa Group said it received and accepted valid tenders from 2,045 shareholders covering an aggregate of 189,380,644 ordinary shares, about…
A phone with no signal bars can now send a WhatsApp message from the Congolese forest. Airtel Africa and Starlink switched on a commercial satellite-to-mobile service in the Democratic Republic of Congo on August 14, 2026, in Kinshasa. It is the first time the technology has moved from pilot testing to a paid product anywhere on the continent. The service works without a dish, an extra device, or a new SIM. A regular phone, once it leaves Airtel’s ground network, hands off to a satellite overhead and stays connected. What the Service Does Airtel customers with a compatible phone can…
Absa Bank Kenya PLC reported a 10% drop in first half profit after tax to KES 10.5 billion, down from KES 11.7 billion a year earlier, the lender announced in its unaudited results for the six months to 30 June 2026. The board approved an interim dividend of KES 0.50 per share, more than double the KES 0.20 paid out in the same period last year. Profit Down on Lower Interest and FX Income Group income fell 7% to KES 29.3 billion from KES 31.5 billion in H1 2025. Net interest income dropped 5% to KES 21.1 billion as the…